The gentleman's recreation in four parts, viz. hunting, hawking, fowling, fishing : wherein these generous exercises are largely treated of, and the terms of art for hunting and hawking more amply enlarged than heretofore : whereto is prefixt a large sculpture, giving easie directions for blowing the horn, and other sculptures inserted proper to each recreation : with an abstract at the end of each subject of such laws as relate to the same.

The Names and Natures of Hawks in general: and first of the Haggard-Faulcon.

I Begin with the Haggard-Faulcon, since it is a Hawk which most men now-a-days covet, to fit and pre∣pare for their delight and pleasure; although hereto∣fore I hear less spoken of her praise by the Antients than she deserves.

Some of old have preferred the Faulcon-gentle for mettle and courage, being of a loving disposition, strong and daring, and hardy in all seasons; and by a mere mistake have undervalued the Haggard-faulcon, con∣demning her as being a Bird too tender to endure rough and boisterous weather.

Experience confutes this Opinion, she being known to be able to endure as much the extremity of weather, or more than the Tiercel, Faulcon-gentle, or most other Hawks whatsoever; and therefore she shall first take place in this manner.

The Haggard-faulcon, wild, and unreclaimed, takes a large liberty to her self for her abode, either by Sea or Land; and is so absolute in her power, that where∣ever she comes, all flying Fowl stoop under her subjecti∣on. Nay, the Tiercel-gentle, although her natural com∣panion, dares not sit by her or come near her residence but in cawking-time, and that is in the Spring; and then for procreation sake, she will admit him to come near her with submission, which he manifests by bow∣ing his head at his approach, and by calling and cow∣ring with his Wings, as the young ones do, in testimo∣ny how fearful he is of incurring her displeasure.

Whilst she is very young (and so will a Passenger-Soar-faulcon)

she will prey upon Birds which are too big to encounter withal; and this she doth for want of understanding: and she continues this rashness and folly, till experience and a sound beating have reclaim∣ed her.

The Haggard faulcon will prey on any other Fowl she can meet with advantageously, especially tame Pid∣geons, or such as belong to a Dove-house; for these they frequently meet withal.

This Hawk is an incessant Pains-taker; no weather discourageth her from her Game, but that onely where∣in no Fowl can well stir abroad to seek for sustenance; otherwise she is continually working, either in the Air or elsewhere, unless she stoop and miss of her Prey, and then she will rest a little, to take breath and renew her courage. Nay, if she hath laboured in boisterous and tempestuous weather three or four days together, she will be so far from being the worse for it, that she will appear much better, and more lively. And there∣for it is a vulgar errour, for men not to fly their Hawks but after three or four days rest, some a week or fort∣night. For old Staunch-hawks, I judge a little rest will do no harm; but for the young, till she is blouded give her but little; and if you can fly her every day, you will find it so much the better.

When the Faulcon unreclaimed hath seized her Prey and broke her Neck, (in artificial terms, her Ink) she then falls on the Crop, and feeds first on what is there contained, afterwards on other parts; and having filled her Gorge, she will fly to some solita∣ry place which is near water, or what liketh her best, and there she will sit all day: upon the approach of night she takes Wing, and flies to some convenient place she hath afore purposed, to pearch therein till the morning.

Thus much of her as she is wild and un-reclaimed.

In the next place it will be requisite to inform you with the manner of reclaiming of a Haggard-faulcon, and her entry to the Lure.

Having taken or purchased one of them, set her down, and let her rest quietly the first night in a Ruster∣hood.

The next day take her up easily on your Fist, and carry her up and down that whole day; using a Fea∣ther to stroke her withal instead of your hand. When you find her not impatient of being toucht, take her Hood off speedily, and put it on again as speedily, ob∣serving thus to do till she is willing to feed: then fre∣quently offer her food, but let her have but a little at a time; never pulling her Hood off or on but you must gain her love with a bit or two, using your voice unto her when you are taking off her Hood, and all the while she is feeding, and no longer; that by that means, after she is reclaimed, she may know by your voice she shall be fed.

Having thus done, teach her to come to your Fist from the Pearch by doing thus: Let her stand on a Pearch about breast-high; if lower, kneel, for this low posture will less affright than any other: after this, unstrike her Hood, and lure her, using your voice; and have a special care that you affright her not or distaste her, and so cause her to bate from you. But you must, before you unstrike her Hood, encourage her with a bit or two, which will make her the more eager to come to you: For it is her Stomach that rules her, and is the Bridle that keeps her in subjection, pricking her forward to perform her duty: wherefore if you keep not her Appetite sharp and truly edged, instead of Submission, you will find Disobedience. When you find she will willingly feed from and come to your hand, you may then let her sit bare-fac'd, now and then diverting her starting about by giving her a

bit or two, to direct her face towards you: after this you may set her to the Lure.

When you find she will come readily to the Lure, garnisht with meat in the Creance, fearing lest she scorn this way of Luring, fix a live Pidgeon to the Lure, and lure her therewith. When she hath killed the Pid∣geon and eaten the Head, take her up gently with a bit of meat, and put on her Hood; then unstrike her Hood and lure her to the Pelt, doing thus twice or thrice, and no more: if you do it oftner, she will be∣come in time very loth to part with the Pelt, and by this means you will provoke her to carry. This is a great fault, and more incident to and worse in Field-Hawks than such as are fitted for the River.

But be sure you lure her not far till her Stomach be perfect; for otherwise she may discover something by the way which she hath a greater esteem for, and so be lost for that time; which will be very detrimental to her, although you should happen to recover and re∣claim her afterwards.

Here observe, in the time of her making (while she is on the ground either pluming or feeding) for∣get not to walk round her, using your voice, and giving her many bits with your hand; continuing so to do till you have won her to a more than ordinary familia∣rity.

But above all, mark this; spring her some living Doves between the Man and the Lure, and let them be given in a long Creance, that she may kill them near you, in such manner that she may truss them over your head: by this means she will not be afraid when you come to her from afar off; the neglect whereof will make her timorous: thence will proceed her dragging and carrying from you; nay sometimes she will leave her Prey, and totally forsake you.

There are some Hawks will not be taken up with∣out

striking or rapping in the Creance, which must be infallibly the loss of such a Hawk without such a de∣vice: this is a great fault in the Hawk, and argueth great negligence in the Faulconer, in suffering, and not remedying that ill property in her first making.

Rules for ordering a Haggard-faulcon in the Luring: with the Causes and Remedies of Carrying, and other ill qualities.

Having thus far acquainted your Hawk with the Lure, take her out some convenient Evening, and be no farther from her than she can see and hear you; then hold in your Lure, and suffer her to fly about you, holding her as near you as you can with your Voice and Lure, teaching her to do her business, and work it on your head; and then cast up a live Dove: Which some disapprove of, because (say they) the lightness of the Dove inclines the Hawk to that ill quality of Carry∣ing; but I rather impute that fault to the ignorance, or negligence and harshness of the Faulconer, who hath been either unskilful, remiss, or hath not used that gen∣tleness which is requisite in Reclaiming a Hawk in her first Making: so that instead of gaining her love by fair Allurements, he hath converted it into Hatred, Abhor∣rency, and Disdainful Coyness.

Another cause of this Dragging or Garrying pro∣ceeds from the Keepers ill or slender Rewarding his Hawk in the Luring, in giving her the Pelt of a Pidgeon or some other dead thing, which gives her no delight. It is the pleasure she takes in the Reward that engages her coming to you: If then she chance to find her expectation frustrated in her usual satisfaction, she will ever after shun you; and though you should throw her a live Pidgeon, she may seize it, and keep close

to it, or remove it as you approach, for fear that your unkindness should deprive her of it. Wherefore you must have a special care you disoblige her not in her Luring.

There are several other errours which must be re∣ctified in a Haggard-faulcon, Faulcon-gentle, or Slight∣faulcons, (which naturally are all of one kind, yet differ much in quality and condition) which I shall leave to the study of the ingenious and industrious Faulconer or Keeper. I say, the first fault is, that though you have lured your Hawk well, and given her all the content and satisfaction imaginable, yet will she not tarry with you, but take her slight and forsake you. This argueth an aversion in her from you to something else. This fault Mr. Turbervile, and Mr. La∣tham say they have known remedied: but because I look upon the trouble therein to be so great, and the future satisfaction so small and uncertain, I shall not lay down what means are commonly made use of in the cure of this ill quality.

But there is another fault, which at first may be ea∣sily prevented; and that is, an aspiring quality and working humour, when although the Hawk never shewed any dislike to the Keeper or discontent, yet by observation she hath been found conceited, and would not endure the society of another Hawk; and having been well blouded on Fowl, she would not be kept down near her Keeper. To remedy this, let no scope be given to the Haggard in the time of making; let her not fly high, but be held down and near you: and if you should let this Hawk in to another Hawk, and find her fall to her work without any regard or notice taken of the other Hawk, suspect her instantly, and let her see Fowl in due time, lest when she comes to her due place, she go her way; for she will prove impatient: wherefore the shorter work you make

with her, the greater delight you give her, and so consequently you engage her love continually towards you.

Having taught your Hawk to sit bare-faced in the Evening among company undisturbed, and that she knows your Voice, and will come to the Lure, then give her every night stones, till you find her Stomach good: after that, profer her Casting, and let her not receive it unless she likes it well; otherwise she is apt to take a dislike, and will never afterwards receive it willingly.

These Stones aforesaid prepare and make ready the way for casting, stirring, and dissolving whatever is offensive within, and fitting it to be carried, down∣ward in her Mutes, or upward in her Castings. The time for giving these Stones is, when she hath put a∣way her Supper from above; then give her half a do∣zen above the hand, if you have so much skill; if not, otherwise as you are able. Do thus often, until such time as you shall give her such things whereof she shall take Plumage in her living or training. But of this, more hereafter.

How to know the Nature and Disposition of several HAWKS, and what must be observed from thence.

THere is a certain Hawk called a Blank Hawk, which is a kinde, loving, and docible Hawk; for she will diligently listen and give ear unto you and your voice; she will soon learn to come to hand, be∣ing very eager and hot to seize on what you shall ei∣ther

throw or give her, and will be very familiar: I astly, having done your will on the ground, she will look up for your Fist, and will readily jump there∣on.

They are much subject to little Grubs, which are in∣gendered in the Guts, and discover themselves in their Mutes, crawling out from them, shrinking themselves up, and so instantly dying. These Worms do little harm, and that Hawk which hath them is seldom bad. The colour of these Worms is red in a Slight Faulcon, and red in a Barbary-Faulcon; and when dead, in both white.

There is a sort of Swarthy black-plum'd Hawk, that is good-mettled, and a high flier, yet hard to be reclai∣med: for she will neither mind you nor your voice; but when you lure her, will look any other way than that she should. However, you must shew your self very loving towards her, though you shall get no more from her than what you extort by force. For her due reclaiming, lessen her pride by ordering her Diet with measure, with respect had unto the Weather; which if it be mild and temperate, you need not fear to hold her down until you have quarried her: and as you shall see her amend her manners, alter her Diet, and add to her strength according to reasonable expedition; which will be soon obtained if the be sound, and the weather moderate. But if the weather be frosty, have a care of abating flesh.

When at any time you fly any one of these black or tawny Hawks, and she stoops foul and falls in her flight, you must take her down with some living thing.

If the be young, suffer not her (or any other Hawk) to fly too long; for nothing is more prejudicial and distasteful to a young Hawk at her first making, than to let her toil and make many stoopings before the be

served: by this dislike she is induced to fly wide and carelesly, and frequently to go away through displea∣sure.

Now to the intent I may go on methodically, and with as little confusion as may be, I shall in the next place here nominate what Hawks I intend to treat of, and in the same order as I name them, in like manner I will discourse of them. Take them thus:

• ...Faulcon,
• ...Gerfaulcon,
• ...Mylion,
• ...Merlin,
• ...Hobby,
• ...Goshawk,
• ...Sparrow-hawk
• ...Lanner,

Their Males.

• ...Tiercel-gentle,
• ...Jerkin,
• ...Tiercel,
• ...Jack,
• ...Robbin,
• ...Tiercel,
• ...Musket,
• ...Lannerct.

Here note, that the Female of all Birds of Prey are much larger, and of greater bulk than the Male, and are more serviceable, being more watchful, hardy, and bold: but of such Birds as do not Prey, the Cocks are the larger.

The Faulcon, Gerfaulcon, Mylion, Merlin, and Hobby do stoop and seize their Prey with their Foot, breaking with their beak the Neck-bone of the Fowl, without pluming or tiring thereupon till the Fowl hath left busking and bating on the foot.

The Goshawk with her Male the Tiercel, and the Sparrow-harvk, kill their Game by strength and force of Wing at random, and do instantly plume and tire upon their Prey.

Of the Faulcon.

THere are seven kinds of Faulcons, viz.

• ...Faulcon-gentle,
• ...Haggard-faulcon,
• ...Barbary or Tarta∣ret-faulcon,
• ...Gerfaulcon,
• ...Saker,
• Lanner, and
• ...Tunician.

The Faulcon-gentle is so called for her familiar cour∣reous disposition; she is withal valiant, strong, and better able to endure any sort of weather than any o∣ther Hawk.

She hath a natural inclination and love to fly the Hern every way, either from her Wings to the down∣come, or from the Fist and afore-head. She is most excellent at the Brook or River, especially at large Fowl, as the Shoveler, Wild-goose, &c. If she be an Eyess, you may venture her at the Crane; otherwise she will not be so hardy and bold. Where note, Hawks prove valiant or cowards according as they are first quarried: and if you take them out of the Eyrie be∣fore they are fully summed and hard penned, you must never expect their Wings should grow to perfection, but their Legs will be apt to wear crooked, and their Train, their long Feathers and their Flags also will be full of Taints.

In the choice of your Faulcon, observe that she have wide Nares; high and large Eye-lids; a great black Eye; a round Head, somewhat full on the top; a short, thick, azure Beak; and indifferent high Neck; barb Feathers under the clap of the Beak; a good

large, round, fleshy Breast: let her be strong, hard, and stiff bonded, broad-shouldered; having slender Sails, full Sides, long and great Thighs; strong and short Arms; large Feet, with the Sear of the Foot soft and blewish; black Pounces, long Wings, and crossing the Train, which Train must be short and ve∣ry pliable.

Here observe, that Faulcons of one kind differ much, and are diversly named, according to the time of their first Reclaiming, places of Haunt, and Countries from whence they come; as Mew'd-Hawks, Rammage-Hawks, Soar-Hawks, Eyesses: and these again are di∣vided into large Hawks, mean Hawks, and slender Hawks. All these have different Males and Plumes, according to the nature of the Countries from whence they come; as some are black, some blank, or russet: and they differ in disposition; some are best for the Field, others for the River.

Names are bestowed on a Faulcon according to her Age or Taking.

The first is an Eyess, which Name lasts as long as she is in the Eyrie. These are very troublesome in their feeding, do cry very much, and are difficultly entred; but being well entred and quarried, prove excellent Hawks for the Hern, River, or any sort of Fowl, and are hardy and full of mettle.

The second is a Rammage-faulcon, and reserves the name after she hath left the Eyrie, being so called May, June, July, and August. These are hard to be manned, but being well reclaimed, they are not inferiour to any Hawk.

The third is a Soar-hawk, so called September, Octo∣ber and November. The first Plumes they have when they for sake the Eyrie, they keep a whole year before they mew them, which are called Soar-feathers.

The fourth is termed Murzarolt, (the latest term

is Carvist, as much as to say, Carry an the Fist:) they are so called January, February, March, April, and till the middle of May, during which time they must be kept on the Fist. They are for the most part very great Baters, and therefore little eaters: They are bad Hawks, frequently troubled with Filanders and worms, and are rarely brought to be good for any thing.

The fifth are called Enter-mews, from the middle of May, to the latter end of December. They are so called because they cast their Coats. They were ex∣cellent Hawks, could they be trusted; therefore they must be kept hard under, and must make your Fist their Pearch. Having discours'd of the Names and Nature of the Faulcon, I next come to his Manning, Luring, Flights, and Mewing in every condition: which course I shall orderly take in my ensuing discourse of the other Hawks I have onely named heretofore. And because what Diseases or Casualties are incident to one are like∣wise to all, I shall put their Cures at the latter end all to∣gether.

Of the Manning, Luring, Flights and Mew∣ing of a Faulcon, with other things pro∣perly belonging to an Ostrager.

Having taken a Faulcon, you must Seel her, in such manner, that as the Seeling slackens, the Faulcon may be able to see what provision is straight before her, which she will better see so than any other way: and be sure you Seel her not too hard.

A Hawk newly taken ought to have all new Furni∣ture, as new Jesses of good Leather, mailed Leases with Buttons at the end, and new Bewets. You must have a small round stick likewise hanging in a string, with which you must frequently stroak your Hawk:

the oftner you do it, the sooner and better you will man her. She must have two good Bells, that she may the better be found and heard when she either stir∣eth or scratteth: Her Hood must be well fashioned, raised and bossed against her Eyes, deep, and yet straight enough beneath, that it may the better fasten about her Head without hurting her: and you must cope a little her Beak and Talons, but not so near as to make them bleed.

Take notice, if you take a Soar-faulcon which hath already past the Seas, although she be very hard to be reclaim'd, yet she is the best of Faulcons.

Her food must be good and warm twice or thrice a day, until she be full gorg'd; which food must be ei∣ther Pigeons, Larks, or other live Birds: and the rea∣son is, because you must break her by degrees off from her accustomed feeding.

When you feed her, you must whoop and lure as you do when you call a Hawk, that she may know when you will give her meat.

You must unhood her gently, giving her two or three bits; and putting on her Hood again, you must give her as much more, and be sure that she be close Seeled: and after three or four days lessen her diet: and when you go to bed, set her on some Pearch by you, that you may awaken her often in the night. Thus you must do till you observe her grow tame and gentle: and when you find she begins to feed eagerly, then give her a Sheep's-heart. And now you may begin to unhood her by day-time, but it must be far from com∣pany; first giving her a bit or two, then hood her a∣gain gently, and give her as much more. Be sure not to afright her with any thing when you unhood her. And when you perceive her to be acquainted with com∣pany, and that she is sharp set, unhood her, and give her some meat, holding her just against your Face and

Eyes, which will make her less afraid of the counte∣nances of others. If you can, reclaim her without over-watching.

You must bear her continually on the Fist till she be throughly Manned, causing her to feed in company, giving her in the Morning about Sun-rising the Wing of a Pullet, and in the Evening the Foot of a Coney or Hare cut off above the joynt, flay'd and laid in Wa∣ter; which having squeez'd, give it her with the Pini∣on of a Hen's Wing.

For two or three days give her washt meat, and then Plumage, according as you think her foul within. If she Cast, hood her again, and give her nothing till she Gleam after her Casting: having gleamed and casted, then give her a beaching of hot meat in company; and towards the Evening let her plume a Hen's Wing in company also.

If the Feathers of her Casting be foul or slimy, and of a yellowish complexion, then be sure to cleanse her well with washt meat and Casting: if clean within, give her gentle Castings, as the Pinions of an old Hens Wing, or the Neck-bone chopped four or five times between the joynts, washt and steeped in fair Wa∣ter.

Having well reclaimed her, throughly manned her, and made her eager and sharp set, then you may ven∣ture to feed her on the Lure.

But before you shew her the Lure, you must consi∣der these three things: 1. That she be bold in and familiar with company, and no ways afraid of Dogs and Horses. 2. That she be sharp set and hungry, regarding the hour of the Morning and Evening when you will Lure her. 3. And lastly, she must be clean within, and the Lure must be well garnished with meat on both sides, and you must abscond your self when you intend to give her the length of the Lease.

You must first unhood her, giving her a bit or two on the Lure as she sitteth on your Fist: afterwards take the Lure from her, and so hide it that she see it not; and when she is unseized, cast the Lure so near her that she may catch it within the length of her Lease. When she hath seiz'd it, use your voice according to the cu∣stome of Faulconers, and feed her upon the Lure on the ground with the Heart and warm Thigh of a Pul∣let. Having so lured her, in the Evening give her but a little meat; and let this luring be so timely, that you may give her Plumage and a Juck of a joynt.

In the Morning betimes take her on your Fist, and when she hath cast and gleamed, give her a little beach∣ing of warm meat. Towards Noon take a Creance and tie it to her Lease, and go into some pleasant Field or Meadow, and give her a bit or two on the Lure; then unseize her: and if you find she is sharp set, and hath seized on the Lure eagerly, then give her some one to hold, to let her off to the Lure, then unwind the Creance, and draw it after you a good way, and let him which holds the Hawk hold his right hand on the Tassel of the Hawks Hood in readiness, so that he may unhood her assoon as you begin to lure: and if she come well to the Lure, and stoop upon it roundly, and seize it eagerly, then let her eat two or three bits thereon; then unseize her and take her off the Lure, hood her, and deliver her to him again that held her, and going farther off lure her, feeding her as before with the accu∣stomed voice. Thus lure her every day farther and far∣ther off, till she is accustomed to come freely and eager∣ly to the Lure.

After this, lure her in company, but have a care that nothing affright her: and when you have used her to the Lure on foot, then lure her on Horse-back; which you may effect the sooner, by causing Horse-men

to be about you when you lure her on foot: also you may do it the sooner by rewarding her upon the Lure on Horse-back among Horsemen. When this way she grows familiar, let some body afoot hold the Hawk, and he that is on Horse-back must call and cast the Lure about his Head; then must the holder take off the Hood by the Tassel: and if she seize eagerly on the Lure without fear of Man or Horse, then take off the Creance, and lure her at a greater distance. And if you would have her love Dogs as well as the Lure, call Dogs when you give her Tiring or Plumage.

Of Bathing a Faulcon lately reclaimed; how to make her Flying, and to hate the Check.

Having wean'd your Faulcon from her Rammage-fooleries, being both ways lured, rewarded, and throughly reclaim'd, offer her some Water to bathe her self in, in a Bason wherein she may stand up to the Thighs, chusing a temperate clear day for that purpose. Then having lured your Hawk, and rewar∣ded her with warm meat, in the morning carry her to some Bank, and there hold her in the Sun till she hath endewed her Gorge, taking off her Hood that she may prune and pick her self: that being done, hood her again, and set her near the Bason, and taking off her Hood, let her bathe again as long as she plea∣seth: After this, take her up, and let her pick her self as before, and then feed her. If she refuse the Bason to bathe in, shew her some small River or Brook for that purpose.

By this use of bathing she gains strength and a sharp appetite, and thereby grows bold: but that day where in the batheth give her no washt meat.

If you would make your Faulcon upwards, the next day after she hath bath'd get on Horseback, either in the Morning or Evening, and chuse out some field wherein are no Rooks or Pidgeons; then take your Lure well garnished on both sides, and having un∣hooded your Hawk, give her a bit or two on the Lure, then hood her: afterwards go leisurely against the Wind, then unhood her: and before she bate, or find any Check in her Eye, whistle her off from your Fist fairly and softly. As she flieth about you, trot on with your Horse, and cast out your Lure, not suffering her to fly long about you at first: continue thus doing Morning and Evening for seven or eight days. But if you find your Hawk unwilling to fly about you or stop to the Lure, then must you let her fly with some Hawk that loves the company of others, and will not rove at any change or check; and that must first be done at the Partridge, for they will not fly far before the Hawk. If she hath flown twice or thrice, cast out the Lure, and reward her on Horseback. If the Fowl you flew her at be killed by another Hawk, let her feed with him a little, and then farther reward her on the Lure.

If you would have your Faulcon prove upwards and a high-flying Hawk, you must let her fly with such as are so qualified. If the love the company of others, and is taught to hold in the Head, then if the Fowl be in Pool, Pit, or Plash, cast off your high-flying Hawk, and let him that hath your new-lur'd Hawk get under the Wind, and when he seeth his advantage, let him unhood her; and if she bate, then it is to get up to the other Hawk.

Let him then cast her off, and before she get up to the other near his full pitch, lay out the Fowl: if she kill her Game, reward her with the Heart, and let her participate of the Breast with the other Hawks.

To take your Faulcon from going out to any Check, thus you must do: If she hath kill'd a Check, and hath fed thereon before you could come in, rebuke her not severely at first, but take her down to the Lure, give her a bit or two, hood her, and fly her not in three or four days; and if you do, let it be where no Checks are: but if you come in before she hath tasted the Check she hath killed, then take the Gall of an Hen, and anoint the Breast of that Check she hath killed, (any other bit∣ter thing will do) and this will make her hate to go at Check again.

How to enseam a Faulcon with her Castings and Scowrings.

When you feed your Faulcon, call and lure as if you called her to the Lure, and every day profer her Water, and every night give her Castings accordingly as she endeweth. Take off her Hood frequently in company; and that you may hinder her from bating, hold always the Hood ready by the Tassel in your hand.

In the Evening by candle-light take off her Hood among company, until she Rouze and Mewt; then set her on the Pearch, and not before, setting a light before her.

Every Faulcon ought to have a Make-Hawk to teach her to hold in the Head: if that will not do, cut off some part of her two Principals in each Wing, the long Feather and that next to it, which will force her to hold in.

Be sure to reward your Hawk well at the beginning, and let her feed well on the Quarry; which will so en∣courage her, that she will have no fancy to go out to the Check. When she is well in bloud and well quar∣ried, then let her fly with other Hawks.

If you would make your Faulcon to the Crane, her Lure should be a counterfeit Crane. If you would make her to the Hare, her Lure should be then a Hares Skin stuft with some light matter: When she is well lured, and you would enter her, tie the Hares Skin so stuft to the end of a Creance, and fasten it to your Sad∣dle-pummel, by which means when you gallop it will resemble a running Hare: then unhood your Hawk, and cry, Back with the Dogs, back with the Dogs. When you find she hath seized it, let go your Creance, and suffer her to fasten thereon; then instant∣ly reward her upon it, and encourage her as much as is possible.

When she is well entred after this manner, take a living Hare and break one of her hinder Legs, and having before well acquainted your Faulcon with your Dogs by continual feeding among them, I say then put your Hare out in some fair place with your Dogs, and the Faulcon will stoop and ruff her until the Dogs may take her; then take the Hare from the Dogs, and cast her out to the Faulcon, crying, Back, back there.

If you would make your Hawk flying to the Par∣tridge or Pheasant after she is reclaimed and made, then every time you lure her, cast your Lure into some low Tree or Bush, that she may learn to take the Tree or Stand: if she take the Stand before she sees the Lure, let her stand a while; and afterwards draw the Lure out before her, and cry with what words you have acquainted her to understand you by, and then re∣ward her well. After this manner she will learn to take Stand.

Feed her always on the ground, or in some thick place; for in such places she must encounter with the Pheasant at Pearch.

At first fly with her at young Pheasant or Partridge,

to encourage her by advantage, and afterwards at the old.

If a Faulcon will not take Stand, but keep on the Wing, then must you fly her in plain places where you may always see her upon you.

Draw your Faulcon out of the Mew twenty days before you Enseam her: If she truss and carry, the remedy is to cope her Talons, her Powlse and Petty∣single.

Never reward your Hawk upon River-sowl but upon the Lure, that she may the better love and esteem thereof.

The Crane ought to be flown at before Sun-rising; for she is a slothful Bird, and you may cast off to her a Cast or Lease of Faulcons, or a Coshawk from the Fist, without Dogs. You must fly but once a day at the Crane, after which you must reward your Hawk very well, ever succouring her with a Grey-hound, which is the best of Dogs for that purpose.

Give your Faulcon a Beaching very early in the morning, and it will make her very eager to fly when it is time for it.

If you would have her a high-flying Hawk; you must not feed her highly, but she should be fed nine days to∣gether before Sun-rising, and at night late in the cool of the Evening.

The Faulcon will kill the Hern naturally if she be a Peregrin or Traveller: yet you will do well to give her Trains.

A Faulcon may fly ten times in a day at a River, if the season be not extream; but more is inconve∣nient.

A Hawk ought to have forty Castings before she be perfectly made. And indeed all Hawks ought to have Castings every night, if you would have them clean and sound: for Hawks which have not this continual

nocturnal Casting will be surcharged with abundance of superfluous Humours, which ascending to the Brain, bred so great a disturbance that they cannot fly so high as otherways they would. And it is good to give them Tiring or Plumage at night, especially field-Hawks, but not River-Hawks, for fear of weakning their Backs.

When your Hawk hath flown or bated, feed her not so long as she panteth, (but let her be first in breath a∣gain;) otherways you may bring her into a Disease called the Pantas.

If a Faulcon or other Hawk will not Seize nor Gorge, take the Quill of a Wild-goose, and tie it un∣der her long Single; then will she Seize and Gripe. When she beginneth to seize, take away the said Quill, and she will seize long afterwards.

If you cannot give Covert to your Faulcon or Gos∣hawk, then cast her off with the Sun in her back.

When you draw your Hawk out of the Mew, if she be greazie, (which you shall know by her round fat Thighs and her full Body, the flesh being round, and as high as her Breast-bone) and if she be well mew'd, and have all her Feathers summed, then give her at feeding-time in the morning two or three bits of hot meat; and at night give her less, unless it be very cold; and if she feed well and without compulsion, give her washt meat. Thus prepared, take the Wings of a Hen for her Dinner and wash them in two Waters. In the morning give her the Legs of a Hen very hot, at Noon meat temperately warm, a good Gorge; then let her fast till it be late in the Evening. If she have put over her meat, and there is nothing left in her Gorge, then give her warm meat, as in the morning. Thus diet her till it be convenient to give her Plu∣mage, the which you may know by these tokens: First, the Flesh of the end of the Pinion of the Hawk's

Wing will seem softer and tenderer than it did before she did eat washt meat. Secondly, if her Mewts be white, and the black thereof be very black, and not mingled with any other colour. Lastly, if she be sharp set, and doth plume eagerly, you may give her Casting either of a Hare's or Coney's Foot, or the small Feathers on the joynt of the Wing of an old Hen.

Having set her on the Pearch, sweep clean under∣neath, that you may see whether the Mewt be full of streaks, or skins, or slimy: if it be, then continue this sort of Casting three or four nights together; but if you find the Feathers digested and soft, and that her Casting is great, then take the neck of an old Hen, and cut it between the joynts, then lay it in cold water, and give it your Faulcon three nights together; in the day-time give her washt meat, after this Casting or Plumage, as you shall see requisite: and this will bear all down into the Pannel.

When you have drawn her out of the Mew, and her principal Feathers are summed, give her no washt meats, but quick Birds with good Gorges, and set her out in open places.

General Instructions for an Ostrager or Faulconer.

LEt his Jesses and Bewets be of good Leather, ha∣ving Bells big and shrill according to the propor∣tion of the Hawk, with a Hood that is bossed at the Eyes, and sizable for the Head.

He must use his Hawk in such manner, that he may make her grow familiar with him alone or in company,

and to that end he must often unhood and hood her a∣gain.

In nine nights the Faulconer ought not to let his Hawk Jouk at all, nor suffer her to pearch, but keep her during that time continually on his Fist.

When the Faulconer would call his Hawk, let him set her on the Pearch, unhood her, and shew her some meat within his Fist, call her so long till she come to it, then feed her therewith: if she come not, let her stand without food till she be very sharp set. Observe this order for about nine days.

When you would lure her give her some man to hold, and call her with a Lure well garnisht with meat on both sides, and give her a bit: use her to this six or seven days; then cause her to be held farther from you, and cast the Lure about your Head, and throw it on the ground a little way from you: if she come to it roundly, reward her bountifully. Having used her to this some certain days, take your Lure gar∣nished as aforesaid, and every day call her to you as far as it is possible for her to see or hear you, and let her be loose from all her Furniture, without Loins or Creance. If she come freely, reward her, and stop her now and then in her feeding; for that will make her come the better. You may do well to stop the Lure upon her sometimes, and let her fly upon you. Here note, it is requisite to bathe her before you take this course, lest when she is at liberty she rangle to see Water, and in the mean time you lose your Hawk; wherefore bathe her every seven or eight days, for her nature requireth it.

When you have thus manned, reclaimed, and lured your Hawk, go out with her into the fields, and whi∣stle her off your Fist, stand still to see what she will do, and whether she will rake out or not: but if she fly round about you, as a good Hawk ought to do, let

her fly a turn or two, and fling her out the Lure, and let her foot a Chicken or Pullet, and having killed it, let her feed thereon.

Unhood her often as you bear her; continue so doing till she hath endewed and mewted sufficiently.

Your Hawk being thus made and manned, go abroad with her every morning when it is fair, and let the place where you intend to fly her be plashy, or some narrow Brook; and when you cast her off, go into the Wind so far, that the Fowl may not discover you. When she is cast off, and beginneth to recover her Gate, make then to the Brook or Plash where the Fowl lie, always making your Hawk to lean in upon you: and when you see her at a reasonable pitch, (her Head being in) lay out the Fowl, and land it if you can; and if you cannot, take down your Hawk, and let her kill some Train; to which end you must always carry some live Fowl with you, as a Duck, &c. And having slipt one of her Wing feathers, thrust it through her Nares, and cast her up as high as you can underneath your Hawk that she may the better know your hand.

If you would have your Hawk fly at one particular Fowl more than at another, you must then feed her well upon a Train of the same kind, as thus: Take a Creance, and tie that Fowl you would accustom her to fly to by the Beak, with meat on her Back, and cause one to stand close that shall hold the Creance; then standing afar off, unhood your Hawk, and let the Fowl be stirred and drawn with the Creance until your Hawk perceive it stir; and if she foot it, make another Train thus: Take a living Fowl that can fly, half seel it and cast it out; then let your Hawk fly to it; and if she kill it, reward her well upon it.

Of the Rammage-faulcon.

If a Faulconer chance to recover a Rammage-hawk that was never handled before, let him immediately seel her, and at that instant put on her Jesses made of soft leather; at the end thereof fix two Varvels, the one may bear your Coat of Arms, the other your Name, that if she chance to be lost, they that take her up may know where to return her: put her on also a pair of Bells with two proper Bewets. Having thus furnished her, you must begin her manning by gentle handling. To avoid the danger of her Beak, you must have a smooth Stick about half a foot in length, with which you must stroak your Hawk about the Pinions of her Wings, and so downwards thwart her Train. If she offer to snap at the Stick, withdraw not your hand, and let her bite thereon, the hardness whereof will soon make her weary of that sport.

If you would man her well, you should watch all the night, keeping her continually on your Fist.

You must teach her to feed seel'd; and having a great and easie Rufter-hood, you must hood and un∣hood her often, seel'd as she is, handling her gently about the head, coying her always when you unhood her, to the intent she may not be displeased with her Keeper.

Let her plume and tire sometimes upon a Wing on your Fist, keeping her so day and night, without pear∣thing, until she be weary, and will suffer you to hood her without stirring.

If your Hawk be so rammage that she will not leave her snapping or biting, then take a little Aloes succotri∣na, and when she offers to snap, give it her to bite; the bitterness whereof will quickly make her leave that ill quality. Garlick I have heard will do the

like, the strong scent thereof being equally offen∣sive.

How to Hood a Hawk.

Having seel'd your Hawk, fit her with a large easie Hood, which you must take off and put on very often, watching her two nights, handling her frequently and gently about the Head as aforesaid. When you perceive she hath no aversion to the Hood, unseel her in an Evening by Candle-light; continue handling her softly, often hooding and unhooding her, until she takes no offence at the Hood, and will patiently endure handling.

Take this Observation by the way, That it is the duty of a Faulconer to be endowed with a great deal of Patience; and in the next place he ought to have a na∣tural love and inclination to Hawks; without these two Qualifications, all the Professors of this Art will prove Mar-Hawks instead of good Faulconers.

But to return where I left off: If your seel'd Hawk feeds well, abides the Hood and handling without stri∣king or biting, then by Candle-light in an Evening unseel her, and with your Finger and Spittle anoint the place where the Seeling-thread was drawn through; then hood her, and hold her on your Fist all night, of∣ten hooding, unhooding, and handling her, stroaking her gently about the Wings and Body, giving her some∣times a bit or two, also Tiring or Plumage. Being well reclaimed, let her sit upon a Pearch; but every night keep her on the Fist three or four hours, stroaking, hooding, and unhooding, &c. as aforesaid: and thus you may do in the day-time, when she hath learn'd to feed eagerly without fear.

How to make a Hawk know your Voice, and her own Feeding.

Having mann'd your Hawk so that she feeds boldly, acquaint her with your Voice, Whistle, and such words as Faulconers use: you may do it by frequently repea∣ting them to her as she is feeding on your Fist, &c. But I think the best way of making her acquainted with them, is by your experience and practice.

When she feeds boldly, and knows your Voice and Whistle, then teach her to know her Feeding, and to bate at it in this manner: Shew her some meat with your right hand, crying and luring to her aloud; if she bate or strike at it, then let her quickly and neatly foot it, and feed on it for four or five bits. Do thus often, and she will know her Feeding the better.

After this, give her every night some Casting either of Feathers, or Cotton with Cloves or Aloes wrapt up therein, &c. These Castings make a Hawk clean and eager.

How to make your Hawk bold and venturous.

In the first place, to make her hardy, you must per∣mit her to Plume a Pullet or large Chicken in a place where there is not much light: her Hood in a readi∣ness, you must have either of the aforesaid alive in your hand; then kneeling on the ground, luring and crying aloud to her, make her plume and pull the Pullet a lit∣tle; then with your Teeth drawing the Strings, un∣hood her softly, suffering her to pluck it with her Beak three or four times more; then throw out the Pullet on the ground, and encourage her to seize it. When you perceive she breaks it and takes bloud, you must

lure and cry aloud to her, encouraging her all the ways imaginable: then hood her gently, and give her Tiring of the Wing or Fóot of the said Pullet.

How to make a Hawk know the Lure.

Your Hawk having three or four times thus killed a Pullet or large Chicken in some secret place, then thus reach her to know the Lure.

Having fastned a Pullet unto your Lure, go apart, giving your Hawk unto another, who must draw loose the strings of her Hood in readiness: Being gone a little way, take half the length of the String, and cast it about your Head, luring with your voice at the same time; then let your Hawk be unhooded as you are throwing your Lure a little way from her, not ceasing luring all the while. If she stoop to the Lure and seize, suffer her to plume the Pullet, still coying and luring with your voice; then let her feed on the Pul∣let upon the Lure: After that, take her on your Fist together with her meat, then hood her, and let her tire as aforesaid. And thus you may teach her to come by degrees to a very great distance.

How to make a Hawk flying.

When your Hawk or Haggard-faulcon will come and stoop to the Lure roundly without any fear or coyness, you must put her on a great pair of Luring-bells; the like you must do to a Soar-hawk: by so much greater must the Bells be, by how much your Hawk is giddy∣headed, and apt to rake out at Check.

That being done, and she sharp set, go in a fair mor∣ning into some large Field on Horseback, which Field must be very little incumbred with Wood or Trees: having your Hawk on your Fist, ride up into the wind,

and having loosned her Hood, whistle softly to provoke her to fly; and then you will observe she will begin to bate, or at least to flap with her Flags and Sails, and to raise her self on your Fist: then suffer her until she rouze or Mewt: when she hath done either of them, unhood her, and let her fly with her Head into the Wind; for thereby she will be the better able to get upon the Wing; then will she naturally climbe upwards, flying in a circle.

When she hath flown three or four Turns, then cry and lure with your Voice, casting the Lure about your head, unto which you must first tie a Pullet: and if your Faulcon come in and approach near you, then cast out the Lure into the Wind; and if she stoop to it, re∣ward her as before.

There is one great fault you will often find in the making of a Hawk flying, and that is, when she flieth from the Fist she will not get up, but take stand on the ground; a frequent fault in Soar-faulcons. You must then fright her up with your Wand, riding in to her; and when you have forced her to take a Turn or two, take her down to the Lure and feed her. But if this do no good, then you must have in readiness a Duck seeled, so that she may see no way but backwards, and that will make her mount the higher. This Duck you must hold by one of the Wings near the body in your right hand, then lure with your voice to make your Faulcon turn the head: when she is at a reasonable pitch, cast up your Duck just under her, that she may perceive it: if she strike, stoop, or truss the Duck, per∣mit her to kill it, and reward her, giving her a reasona∣ble Gorge. Use this custom twice or thrice, and your Hawk will leave the Stand, delighting on the Wing, and will become very obedient.

Here note, that for the first or second time it is not convenient, to shew your Hawk great or large Fowl,

for it often happens that they slip from the Hawk into the wind; the Hawk not recovering them, raketh after them, which puts the Faulconer to much trouble, and frequently occasions the loss of his Hawk.

But if it so chance that your Hawk so rake out with a Fowl that she cannot recover it, but gives it over and comes in again directly upon you, then cast out a seeled Duck; and if she stoop and truss it, cross the Wings, and permit her to take her pleasure, rewarding her also with the Heart, Brains, Tongue, and Liver. For want of a quick Duck, take her down with the dry Lure, and let her plume a Pullet, and feed her up∣on it.

By so doing, your Hawk will learn to give over a Fowl that rakes out, and hearing the Lure of the Faul∣coner, will make back again to the River, and know the better to hold in the Head.

A Flight for a Haggard.

When you intend a Flight for a Haggard, for the first, second, and third time, make choice of such a place where there are no Crows, Rooks, or the like, to take away all occasion of her raking out after such Check.

Let her not fly out too far on head at the first, but run after and cry, Why lo, why lo, to make her turn Head. When she is come in, take her down with the Lure, unto which must be fastned a live Pullet, and let her Tire, Plume, and feed as aforesaid.

Sometimes a Haggard out of pride and a gadding humour will rangle out from her Keeper: then clog her with great Luring-bells, and make her a Train or two with a Duck seeled, to teach her to hold in and know her keeper: take her down often with the dry Lure, and reward her bountifully, and let her be ever

well in bloud, or you may whoop for your Hawk to no purpose.

How to make a Soar-faulcon or Haggard kill her Game at the very first.

If she be well lured, flieth a good Gate, and stoopeth well, then cast off a well-quaried Hawk, and let her stoop a Fowl on Brook or Plash, and watch her till she put it to the plunge: then take down your Make-Hawk reward her, hood her, and set her; so you may make use of her if need require.

Then take your Hawk un-entred, and going up the wind half a Bow-shot, unloose her Hood, and softly whistle her off your Fist, until she have rouzed or mewted: then let her fly with her Head into the wind, having first given notice or warning to the company to be in readiness against the Hawk be in a good Gate, and to shew Water, and to lay out the Fowl.

When she is at a good pitch, and covering the Fowl, then notifie that all the company make in at once to the Brook upon the Fowl, to land her: if your Faulcon strike, stoop, or truss her Game, run in to help her, and crossing the Fowls Wing, let her take her pleasure there∣on.

If she kill not the Fowl at first stooping, give her then respite to recover her Gate. When she hath got it, and her Head in, then lay out the Fowl as aforesaid, until you land it at last; nor forgetting to help her as soon as she hath seized it, giving also her due Re∣ward.

Remedy for a Hawk's taking Stand in a Tree.

In the first place you must chuse such places where are no Wood or Trees, or as little as may be. If you cannot avoid it, then have two or three live Trains, and give them to as many men, placing them conve∣niently for to use them. When therefore your Hawk hath stooped, and endeavours to go to stand, let him to whom the Hawk most bends cast out his Train-Duck seeled: if the Hawk kill her, reward her there∣with. If this course will not remedy that fault in her by twice or thrice so doing, my advice is then to part with the Buzzard.

How to help a Hawk froward and coy through pride of Grease.

There is a scurvy quality in some Hawks, proceeding from pride of Grease, or being high kept, which is a disdainful coyness. Such a Hawk therefore must not be rewarded although she kill; yet give her leave to plume a little; and then let the Faulconer take a Sheeps-Heart cold, or the Leg of a Pullet, and whilst the Hawk is busie in pluming, let either of them be conveyed into the Body of the Fowl, that it may favour thereof; and when the Hawk hath eaten the Brains, Heart, and Tongue of the Fowl, then take out your Inclosure, and call your Hawk with it to your Fist, and feed her there∣with: after this give her some Feathers of the Neck of the Fowl to scowr and make her cast.

To make a Hawk hold in her Head, and not mind Check.

Take a piece of a Lease, and fasten it to your Lure∣string, the other end to the Wing of a Pidgeon, which you may put in and pull out of your Hawking-bag at your conveniency: when you find your Hawk apt to go out, shew your Pidgeon. I would not have you use it often; for it draws a Hawk from her place if well flown.

How to continue and keep a Hawk in her high-flying.

If your Hawk be a stately high-flying Hawk, you ought not to engage her in more flights than one in a morning: for often flying brings her off from her stately pitch. If she be well made for the River, fly her not above twice in a morning; yet feed her up though she kill not.

When a high-flying Hawk being whistled to, gathers upwards to a great gate, you must continue her there∣in, never flying her but upon broad Waters and open Rivers; and when she is at the highest, take her down with your Lure; where when she hath plumed and broken the Fowl a little, then feed her up, and by that means you shall maintain your Faulcon high-flying, in∣wards, and very fond of the Lure.

Some will have this high-flying Faulcon seldom to kill, and not to stoop: yet if she kill every day, al∣though she stoop from a high Gate, yet if she be not rebuked or hurt therewith, she will, I can assure you, become a higher flier every day than other; but she will grow less fond of the Lure. Wherefore your

high-flying Hawks should be made inwards, it being a commendable quality in them to make in and turn head at the second or third toss of the Lure, and when she poureth down upon it as if she had killed.

And as the teaching of a Faulcon, or any other Hawk to come readily to and love the Lure, is an art highly commendable, because it is the effect of great labour and industry: so it is the cause of saving many a Hawk, which otherways would be lost irrecovera∣bly.

Mark this by the way, that some naturally high-fly∣ing Hawks will be long before they be made upwards, still fishing and playing the slugs; and when they should get up to cover the Fowl, they will stoop before the Fowl be put out: And this may proceed from two causes. In the first place, she may be too sharp set, and in the next place, it may be she is flown untimely, either too soon or too late.

When you see a Hawk use those evil Tatches with∣out any visible cause, cast her out a dead Fowl for a dead Quarry, and hood her up instantly without Re∣ward, to discourage her from practising the like ano∣ther time: half an hour afterwards call her to the Lure and feed her, and serve her after this manner as often as she fisheth in that fashion.

Besides, to correct this errour, the Faulconer ought to consult the natures and dispositions of his Hawks, and should carefully observe which fly high when in good plight, and which best when they are kept low; which when sharpest set, and which on the contrary in a mean between both; which early at Sun-rising, which when the Sun is but two hours high; which sooner, and which later in an evening.

For know that the natures of Hawks are different; so are the time to fly each one: for to fly a Hawk in her proper times, and to fly her out of it, is as disagree∣able

as the flight of a Gerfaulcon and a Buzzard. There∣fore the Ostrager must fly his Hawks according to their natures and dispositions, keeping them always in good order.

Where by the by take notice, all Hawks, as well Soar-hawks as Mew'd-hawks and Haggards, should be set out in the Evening two or three hours, some more, some less, having respect to their nature as it is stronger or weaker; and in the morning also according as they cast, hooding them first, and then setting them abroad a weathering, until you get on Horseback to prosecute your Recreation.

A Flight for the Hern.

This Flight hath less of Art in it than Pleasure to the beholders; and, to say the truth, the Flight is state∣ly and most noble.

As it is less difficult to teach a Hawk to fly at Fowl than it is to come unto and love the Lure, the first being natural, and not the last; so there is less industry to be used in making a Hawk fly the Hern than Water-fowl. To the first she is instigated by a natural propensity and inclination; to the latter she is brought with art, pains, and much diligence.

At the beginning of March Herns begin to make their Passage: if therefore you will adapt your Faul∣cons for the Hern, you must not let them fly longer at the River, and withal you must pull them down to make them light; which is done by giving them Hearts and flesh of Lambs and Calves, also Chickens; but give them no wild meats.

To the intent you may acquaint them one with the other, so that they may the better fly the Hern and help one another, you must call a cast of them to the Lure at once; but have a care they crab not toge∣ther,

for so they may endanger one another in their flight.

When your Hawk is scowred and clean and sharp set, you must then get a live Hern, upon the upper part of whose long sharp Bill you must place a joynt of a hollow Cane, which will prevent her from hurting the Hawk: that being done, tie the Hern in a Creance; then setting her on the ground, unhood your Hawk, who will fly the Hern as soon as shee sees her. If she seize her, make in apace to succour her, and let her plume and take bloud of the Hern: then take the Brains, the Marrow of the Bones, and the Heart, and laying it on your Hawking-glove, give it your Faul∣con. After this, rip her Breast, and let your Hawk feed thereon till she be well gorged: this being done, hood her up upon the Hern, permitting her to plume at her pleasure; then take her on your Fist, and let her tire on the Foot or Pinion.

Because Herns are not very plentiful, you may pre∣serve one for a Train three or four times, by arming Bill, Head, and Neck, and painting it of the same colour that the Hern is of: and when the Faulcon seiz∣eth her, you must be very nimble to make in, and de∣ceive her by a live Pidgeon clapt under the Wing of the Hern for the Faulcon, which must be her Re∣ward.

The Hawk having thus several times taken her Train without discovery of the delusion, you may then let the Hern loose in some fair Field without a Greance, or without arming her: when she is up of a reasonable height, you may cast off your Faulcon; who if she bind with the Hern and bring her down, then make in apace to rescue her, thrusting the Hern's Bill into the ground, and breaking his Wings and Legs, that the Hawk may with more ease plume and foot him. Then reward her as before, with the Brains,

Marrow of the Bones, and Heart, making thereof an Italian Soppa.

Thus much of a Train-Hern. Now to fly the wild Hern, it is thus: If you find a wild Hern at Siege, win in as nigh unto her as you can, and go with your Hawk under the Wind; and having first loosed her Hood in a readiness, as soon as the Hern leaveth the Siege, off with her Hood, and let her fly. If she climb to the Hern and bring her down, run in (as I said be∣fore) to rescue her, thrusting her Bill into the ground, breaking her Wings and Legs, and rewarding her as aforesaid on your Hawking-glove.

Now if your Faulcon beat not down the Hern, or do give him over, never fly your Faulcon again at a Hern, unless with a Make-hawk well entred; for the Coward by this means, seeing another fly at the Hern and bind with her, takes fresh courage. And if they kill the Hern flying both together, then must you re∣ward them both together while the Quarry is hot, making for them a Soppa as aforesaid. This is the onely way to make them both bold and perfect Hern∣ers.

Of the HAGGARD-FAULCON, why so called; her good Shape and Pro∣perties: And what difference there is between a Haggard and a Faul∣con-gentle.

THe Haggard is by some called the Peregrin-Faul∣con, because, say some, she is brought from a Country forrein and remote; and therefore others call them Travellers, or Passengers. But if there be no

other reason for the name but this, all other Hawks coming from exotick places might borrow that appel∣lation.

Upon a threefold consideration, I conceive they are called Haggard or Peregrin-faulcons.

First, because their Eyrie was never found in any Country by any man that ever I could hear or read of.

Secondly, because these Faulcons rangle and wander more than other Faulcon doth, still seeking strange and forreign Coasts; so that where-ever they come they may be justly called Peregrins or Forreigners.

Thirdly, and lastly, she never takes up her habitation long in a place.

This Haggard is not inferiour to any other Faulcon, but very tender, and cannot endure hard weather, say some; but my experience hath found it otherwise. The reason that may be alleadged is this; first, she tra∣vels far, as a Stranger, and comes into Countries com∣monly in the hardest time of the year: next, she is a hot Hawk, which may be gathered from her high fly∣ing, where the Air is much colder than below, and therefore ought to be more hardy: lastly, she meweth with more expedition (if she once begin to cast her Feathers) than other Faulcons do.

They are of shape like other Faulcons; but as to mould they are of three sorts, large, middle-siz'd, and little; some long-shaped, some short-trussed; some larger, some less.

They have a fourfold Mail, blank, russet, brown and Turtle.

The goodness of her Shape consists in having her Head plum'd dark or blank, flat on the top with a white Wreath environing the same, a large blue ben∣ding Beak, wide Nares, a great black full Eye, high stately Neck, large Breast, broad Shoulders, a great

Turtle-coloured Feather, long Veins and Sails, but slender shaped, a long Train, high Thighs, and white on the Pendant Feathers, a large wide Foot, with slen∣der Stretchers, and Talons tending somewhat to an azure colour.

You may know her in her flight from another by the stirring of her Wings; for she useth no thick stroak, but getteth up to her Mountee leisurely, without any great making out: besides she may be known by her extraordinary large Sails.

The differences between the Haggard and Faulcon∣gentle are these:

First, the Haggard is larger, being longer-armed with longer Beak and Talons, having a higher Neck, with a long and fair-seasoned Head.

Secondly, her Beam-feathers in flight are longer than the Faulcon-gentle's, her Train somewhat larger: a∣gain, the Haggard hath a flat Thigh, and the other's is round.

Thirdly, the Haggard will lie longer on the Wing.

Fourthly, the Haggard at long flight exceeds the Faulcon-gentle; which last fleith with more speed from the Fist than the other. For maintenance of Flight and goodness of Wing the Haggard exceeds all other Hawks.

Fifthly, and lastly, the Haggard is more deliberate and advised in her Stooping than the Faulcon-gentle, who is more hot and hasty in her Actions, and missing the Fowl, is apt presently to fly on head at the Check.

Of the BARBARY-FAULCON.

THe Barbary, or, as some call her, the Tartaret-Faulcon, is a Bird seldom found in any Country, and is called a Passenger as well as the Haggard. They are somewhat lesser than the Tiercel-gentle, and plum'd red under the Wings, strong-armed, with long Talons and Stretchers.

The Barbary-Faulcon is venturously bold, and you may fly her with the Haggard all May and June. They are Hawks very slack in mewing at first; but when once they begin, they mew their Feathers very fast.

They are called Barbary-Faulcons, because they make their passage through that Country and Tunis, where they are more frequently taken than in any other place, namely in the Isles of the Levant, Candy, Cyprus, and Rhodes. In my opinion, she is a Hawk of not much value, and therefore I shall leave her, to speak of ano∣ther of greater reputation.

Of the GERFAULCON.

THe Gerfaulcon is a very fair Hawk, and of great force, especially being mewed: she is strong∣armed, having long Stretchers and Singles; she is fierce and hardy of nature, and therefore difficultly to be reclaimed. She is a lovely Bird to behold, larger than any kind of Faulcon: her Eyes and Head are like the Haggard's.

Her Beak is great and bending: she hath large Nares, and a Mail like a Lanner's; her Sails are long and sharp-pointed; her Train much like the Lanner's; she hath a large Foot marble-seared, and is plumed blank, brown, and russet. She expects great civility from her Keeper, who must exercise a great deal of pa∣tience on her.

The Gerfaulcon's Eyrie is in some parts of Prussia, and on the borders of Russia; and some come from the Mountains of Norway, and from Germany: These may be also called Passengers.

By reason of the fierceness and hardiness of this Bird, she is very hardly manned and reclaimed; but being once overcome, she proves an excellent Hawk, and will scarce refuse to fly at any thing.

Their Beaks are blue, so are the Sears of their Legs and Feet, having Pounces and Talons very long.

These Hawks do not fly the River, but always from the Fist fly the Herns, Shovelers, &c.

In going up to their Gate they do not hold that course or way which others do; for they climbe up upon the Train when they find any Fowl, and as soon as they have reacht her they pluck her down, if not at the first, yet at the second or third encounter. You must feed and reward them like other Faul∣cons.

They are very crafty, and covet to keep their Ca∣stings long through sloth; therefore instead of Cotton give them a Casting of Tow, and be sure to keep them sharp set.

In the Manning and Reclaiming you must by kind∣ness make her gentle and familiar with you. When you have taught her to be lured loose, then learn her to come to the Pelts of Hens, or any other Fowl: but let her not touch any living flesh, for fear that draw her love away from your Voice and Hand.

All this time you must be close by her, about her, and upon your Knees, using your Voice unto her, with her dinner and supper clean drest and washt, giving her still some bits thereof with your hand, that she may the more delight therein. By doing thus frequently you will so win her, that should she be guilty of Car∣rying, yet by this means she will be reclaimed, and for∣get that errour.

Let the Ostrager have especial care how he make his Gerfaulcon at first, and indeed all other Hawks; for as they are made then, he shall ever find them after; and if they are well made, they are twice made, and for ever made: and therefore have a care of two much precipi∣tation in posting them forward from one lesson to ano∣ther, before they are perfect in any thing.

If you train her with Doves, she will not carry a feather from you. But first before you spring her any Doves, let her kill four or five at Lure close by your foot, having a pair of short Creances at your Lure.

Here note, that the Gerfaulcon is most desired for her high-flying, and is best at Hern and the Mountee: and that you may bring her to perfection herein, play with your entermewed Gerfaulcon the first year, shew∣ing her all imaginable kindness, and using all possible means to make her love you. When you have brought her forward, give her often Castings to cleanse and purge her, also to prevent the growth of too much glut and fatness in her inward parts, which will indanger her life.

Of the SAKER.

THe Saker is a Passenger or Peregrin-Hawk, for her Eyrie hath not been found by any. They are found in the Isles of the Levant, Cyprus, Rhodes, and Candia, and in several other Islands in the Sea.

She is somewhat larger than the Haggard-faulcon; her Plume is rusty and ragged; the Sear of her foot and Beak like the Lanner; her Pounces are short, how∣ever she hath great strength, and is hardy to all kind of Fowl. She is more disposed to the Field a great deal than to the Brook, and delights to prey on great Fowl, as the Hern, the Goose, &c. As for the Crane, she is not so free to fly at her as the Haggard-faulcon. The Saker is good also for lesser Fowl, as Pheasant, Par∣tridge, &c. and is nothing so dainty of her Diet as Hawks long-winged.

This Hawk will make excellent sport with a Kite, who, as soon as she sees the Saker (the Male whereof is called a Sakaret) cast off, immediately betakes her self to, and trusts in the goodness of her Wings, and getteth to her pitch as high as possibly she may, by making many Turns and Wrenches in the Air: which if well observed, together with the variety of con∣tests and bickerings that are between them, it cannot but be very pleasant and delightful to the beholder. I have known in a clear day and little wind stirring, that both the Saker and Kite have soar'd so high that the sharpest eye could not discern them, yet hath the Saker in the encounter conquered the Kite, and I have seen her come tumbling down to the ground with a strange precipitancy.

Of all Birds the Saker hath the longest Train. This Hawk will fly at Hern, Kite, Pheasant, Partridge, Quail, and sometimes at the Hare; but her chiefest excellency consists in her flying at the Crane. Now because we have but few of them in England, I shall desist from speaking farther of the Saker, onely that she is made to the Lure as other Hawks are: and in∣deed all Faulcons are made after the same manner, yet are not flown withal alike; for Sakers, Lanners, Ger∣faulcons, Mylions, and Merlins do not fly the River; if any do, it is very rarely.

Of the LANNER, LANNERET, and TUNISIAN.

THe Lanner is a Hawk common in all Countries, especially in France, making her Eyrie on high Trees in Forrests, or on high Cliffs near the Sea∣side.

She is lesser than the Faulcon-gentle, fair-plumed when an Enter-mewer, and of shorter Talons than any other Faulcon. Those who have the largest and best-seasoned Heads are the best Lanners.

With the Lanner or Lanneret you may fly the River; and both are very good also for the Land.

They are not very choice in their Food, and can better away with gross Victuals than any other Hawk.

Mew'd Lanners are hardly known from the Soar∣hawks, (and so likewise the Saker) because they do not change their Plume.

You may know the Lanners by these three tokens. 1. They are blanker Hawks than any other. 2. They

have less Beaks than the rest. 3. And lastly, They are less armed and pounced than other Faulcons.

Of all Hawks there is none so fit for a young Faul∣coner as the Lanner, because she is not inclined to Sur∣feits, and seldom melts Grease by being over-flown.

There are a sort of Lanners which Eyrie in the Alps, having their Heads white and flat aloft, large and black Eyes, slender Nares, short and thick Beaks, and lesser than the Haggard or Faulcon-gentle. Some are indifferent large, some less, and others middle∣sized.

Their Mail is marble or russet; their Breast-fea∣thers white and full of russet spots; the points and ex∣tremities of their Feathers full of white drops; their Sails and Train long: they are short Leg'd, with a foot less than that of a Faulcon, marble-seer'd; but being mew'd the Seer changeth to a yellow.

The Lanner never lieth upon the Wing after she hath flown to Mark, but after once stooping she ma∣keth a Point, and then, like the Goshawk, waits the Fowl.

If she miss at the first down-fall and kill not, she will consult her advantage to her greatest ease.

These kind of Hawks are highly prized in France and Italy, neither is she despiseable in England; but we look upon them as slothful and hard-metled: and therefore if you intend to have any good of her, keep a strict hand over her; for she is of an ungrateful dis∣position, and will slight your Kindnesses, contrary to the nature of the Faulcon-gentle, who for one good usage will return a treble courtesie, and the better she is rewarded, the better she will fly.

They are flown at Field or Brook, and are Hawks that maintain long flights, whereby much Fowl is kil∣led (and more than by a better Hawk) by reason of Dogs and Hawking-poles.

If you will fly with a Lanner, you must keep her very sharp: and because they keep their Castings long, by reason they are hard-metled Hawks, give them therefore hard Castings made of Tow and knots of Hemp.

In the reclaiming the Lanner and the Lanneret much pains and labour must be taken, and the chiefest thing is to make her well acquainted with the Lure, which must be garnished with hard washt meat, and let her receive the major part of her Reward in bits from your hand: as for the rest of her Training, take the same course which I have directed in the manning and ordering of the Haggard-faulcon. But above all take pains to stay her, and by your utmost Art restrain her from dragging or carrying any thing from you, to which ill quality she is more inclined than any other Hawk whatever.

To conclude this Chapter, I come next to the Tu∣nisian-Faulcon, which is not much different in nature from the Lanner, yet somewhat less, but in Foot and Plume much alike. She hath a large round Head, and is more creese than the Lanner, and more heavy and sluggish in her flight.

She is called a Tunisian-faulcon, from Tunis the Me∣tropolis of Barbary, the Country where she usually makes her Eyrie.

They are excellent Hawks for the River, lying long upon the Wing, and will fly the Field also very well.

They naturally delight to seize upon the Hare, and will strike boldly at her. Much more might be said of her, which I here omit, she being a Hawk not very common in England.

Having cursorily discourst in as good a method as I could of the seven sorts of Faulcons, with their Manning, Reclaiming, Luring, Training, Staying, &c.

I shall proceed to give you an account of some other Hawks, which I propounded and promised in the be∣ginning of this Treatise: take them thus in order.

Of the MERLIN.

THe Merlin in Plume is much like the Haggard-Faulcon, also in the Sear of the Foot, Beak, and Talons, and is much alike in Conditions.

A Merlin well mann'd, lur'd, and carefully lookt af∣ter, will prove an excellent Hawk. Their flight is swifter than any other Hawk, and naturally they flie at Partridge, Thrush, and Lark.

It is a Bird very busie and unruly, and therefore the Faulconer ought to take special heed and care of them, lest unnaturally they eat off their own Feet and Talons, which several of them have been known to do, and die thereby. For which cause, Merlins ought not to be mew'd or intermew'd, because in the Mew they of∣ten spoil themselves.

She is accounted a Hawk of the Fist, and not of the Lure; but to my knowledge she may be brought to love the Lure very well.

She is very venturous and hardy, which may appear by her flying at Birds as big or bigger than her self, with such eagerness, as that she will pursue them even into a Town or Village.

If you will flie with a Merlin at a Partridge, chuse the Formal, which is the Female. The Jack is not worth the Training.

When you have made her to the Lure, and that she will patiently endure the Hood, then make her a Train with a Partridge: if she foot and kill it, reward her

well, suffering her to take her pleasure thereon. After this, fly her at the wild Partridge; if she take or mark it at first or second flight, being retrieved by the Spa∣niels, feed her upon it with a reasonable Gorge, chear∣ing her with your Voice in such manner that she may know it another time. If she prove not hardy at first Train, try her with a second or third: if she prove not then, she will prove nothing worth.

If you fly the Merlin at Lark or Linnet, let it be with a Cast of Merlins at once, because they love to fly in company: besides, it is a greater delight to the Spe∣ctators to see them fly together; you shall observe the one climb to the Mountee above the Lark, and the other to lie low for her best advantage.

When your Merlin is throughly manned and made gentle, (which you must bring to pass according to the method propounded for other Hawks) I say, when she is reclaimed, you may then carry her into the fields; where having found a Lark or Linnet, get as near as you can into the Wind to the Bird; and as soon as the Bird riseth from the ground, unhood your Cast of Merlins and cast them off, and when they have beaten down the Lark, let them feed a little thereon.

There is a sort of Larks which I would not advise the Faulconer to fly at, and they are called Cut-larks, which do not mount as the long-spur'd field-Lark, but fly straight forward, to the endangering the loss of your Hawk without any pastime or pleasure.

Of the Mewing of Merlins, Faulcons, Gerfaul∣cons, and Mylions at Stock or at Large: and which is the best way of Mewing.

It is the opinion of some, (but how commendable, I will leave the Reader to judge) that Merlins cannot

be mew'd, or if they be, that they are very rarely good afterwards. Experience tells me the contrary: for if they be hardy, and have flown well in their Soarage, they have proved much better after mewing than be∣fore.

The time of mewing for Faulcons should be about the latter end of April; at which time set down your Faulcons, diligently observing whether they be louzy or not: if they are, pepper them, and that will infallibly kill the Lice. You must also scour them, before you cast them into the Mew.

Mewings are of two sorts; the one loose and at large, the other at the Stock or Stone.

Mewing at large is thus in short: If your Room be large, by divisions you may mew four Faulcons at once, each partition consisting of about twelve foot square, and as much in height, with two Windows two foot broad, the one opening to the North, for the benefit of cold Air; the other to the East, for the beneficial warmth of the Sun. At your East-window let there be a Board two foot broad, even with the bot∣tom of the Window, with a Lath or Ledge round; in the middle set a green Turff, laying good store of Gravel and Stones about it, that your Hawk may take them at her pleasure.

If your Faulcon be a great Bater, let your Chamber be on the ground, which must be covered four fingers thick with gross Sand, and thereon set a Stone some∣what taper, of about a Cubit in height, on which they love to sit, by reason of its coolness.

Make her two Perches, at each Window one, to recreate her self as she pleaseth, either with Heat or Cold.

Every week or fortnight set her a Bason of Water to bathe in; and when she hath bathed therein, take it away the night following.

Your Mew must have a Portal to convey in the Hack, a thing whereon the meat is served. I need not prescribe the manner how to make it, since it is a thing so generally known already.

You ought to keep one set-hour in feeding; for so will she mew sooner and better: when she hath fed and gorged her self, then remove the Stick from the Hack on which the meat was fastened, to keep her from dragging it into the Mew.

In the opinion of most, it is better Mewing at the Stock or Stone, which must be performed thus: Make choice of a Ground-room remote from noise or con∣course of people, and therein set a Table of what length you think is most convenient for the number of your Faulcons, and of about six foot in breadth, with thin Boards along the sides and ends, about four fingers high from the superficies of the Table, which must stand on Tressels about three foot high from the ground. Let this Table be covered indifferently thick with great Sand mixt with small Pebbles, in the midst whereof place a pyramidal Free-stone about a yard in height, unto which tye your Faulcon, Gerfaulcon, Mer∣lin or Mylion: then take a small Cord of the bigness of a Bow-string, and put it through a Ring or Swivel, and bind it about the Stone in such sort that the Swi∣vel may go round the Stone without let or hindrance, and thereunto tye the Lease of your Hawk.

Here note, that if you mew more than one Hawk in one Room, you must set your Stones at that di∣stance, that when they bate they may not crab one a∣nother.

The reason of placing this Stone is, because the Faulcon delights to sit thereon for its coolness sake, and the little gravelly stones the Hawk frequently swal∣lows to cool her within. The Sand is necessary to preserve their Feathers when they bate, and their Mew∣ets

are the more easily cleansed. The little Gord with the Swivel tyed about the Stone, is to keep the Hawk from tangling when she bateth, because the Ring will still follow her.

All day let your Hawk stand hooded, onely when you take her on your Fist to feed: at night unhood her; and lest any accident should happen in the night, prejudicial to the Hawk, the Faulconer ought to lie in the Mew.

Of the HOBBY.

THe Hobby is a Hawk of the Lure, and not of the Fist, and is a high flier, and is in every respect like the Saker, but that she is a much lesser Bird.

The Hobby hath a blue Beak, but the Seer thereof and Legs are yellow: the Crinets or little Feathers under her Eye are very black; the top of her head is betwixt black and yellow, and she hath two white seams on her Neck; the Plumes under the Gorge and about the Brows, are reddish, without spot or drop; the Breast-feathers are brown for the most part, yet powdered with white spots; her Back, Train, and Wings are black aloft, having no great scales upon the Legs, unless it be a few beginning behind the three Stretchers and Pounces, which are very large in respect of her short Legs; her Brail-feathers are engouted be∣twixt red and black; the Pendant-feathers (which are those behind the Thigh) are of a rusty smoaky complexion. The daring Hobby may be well called so, for she is nimble and light of Wing, and dares encounter Kites, Bazzards, or Crows, and will give souse for souse, blow for blow, till sometimes they

seize and come tumbling down to the ground both to∣gether.

They are chiefly for the Lark, which poor little crea∣ture so dreads the sight of a Hobby soaring in the Air over her, that she will rather chuse to commit her self to the mercy of Man or Dogs, or to be trampled on by Horses, than venture her self into that Element where she sees her mortal Enemy soaring.

The Hobby makes excellent sport with Nets and Spaniels, which is performed after this manner. The Dogs range the field to spring the Fowl, and the Hob∣bies soar over them alost in the Air: the silly Birds, fearing a Conspiracy between the Hawks and Dogs to their utter destruction, dare not commit themselves to their Wings, but think it safer to lie close to the ground, and so are taken in the Nets. This sport is called Daring.

Of the GOSHAWK.

THere are several sorts of Goshawks, and they are different in goodness, force, and hardiness, ac∣cording to the diversity of their choice in Cawking: at which time when Hawks begin to fall to liking, all Birds of Prey do assemble themselves with the Goshawk, and flock together.

The Female is the best: and although there be some Goshawks which come from Sclavonia, Sardinia, Lom∣bardy, Russia, Puglia, Germany, Armenia, Persia, Greece, and Africa; yet there are none better than those which are bred in the North parts of Ireland, as in the Pro∣vince of Ulster, but more especially in the County of Tyrone.

Take these Rules as to the goodness of her propor∣tion or shape.

She ought to have a small Head, her Face long and straight, a large Throat, great Eyes, deep set, the Apple of the Eye black, Nares, Ears, Back, and Feet large and blank; a black long Beak, long Neck, big Breast, hard flesh, long Thighs, fleshy, the bone of the Leg and Knee short, long large Pounces and Talons. From the Stern or Train to the Breast forward she ought to grow round: the Feathers of the Thighs towards the Train should be large, and the Train-feathers short, soft, and some∣what tending to an Iron Mail. The Brayl-feathers ought to be like those of the Breast, and the Covert-feathers of the Train should be spotted and full of black rundles; but the extremity of every Train-feather should be black streaked.

The sign of force in a Goshawk is this: Tye divers of them in several places of one Chamber or Mew, and that Hawk that doth slise and mewt highest and far∣thest off from her, is without question the strongest Hawk; for the high and far mewting argues a strong Back.

I might tell you the ill shape of a Goshawk; but since I have declared the good, the bad may be collected from thence: Contraria contrariis dignoscunter. How∣ever take this general rule, That Goshawk that hath pendant Plumes over her Eyes, the whites whereof are waterish and blank, that is red-mail'd or bright tawny, hath the most assured tokens of a Hawk that is ill con∣ditioned.

The Goshawk preyeth on the Pheasant, Mallard, Wild-goose, Hare, and Coney; nay, she will venture to seize on a Kid or Goat; which declareth the inesti∣mable courage and valour of this Hawk.

She ought to be kept with great care, because she is very choice and dainty, and looks to have a nice hand kept over her.

How to make the Soar or Haggard Goshawk.

First trim them with Jesses, Bewets, and Bells, as soon as they come to your hands; keep them seeled some time, hooding and unhooding them often, teach∣ing them to feed on the Fist three or four days, or till they have left their Rammageness and become gentle: having so done, unseel them by Candle-light at night, causing them to tire or plume upon a Wing or Leg of a Pullet; and be sure to deal gently and mildly with them until you have won and throughly man∣ned them: then you may go into some pleasant field, and first give them a bit or two hooded on your Fist, and the like unhooded, cast them down fair and softly on some Pearch, and make them come from it to your Fist, calling to them with a Faulconer's usual terms; and when they come, feed them, calling all the while in the same manner to make them acquainted with your voice. The next day you may call them with a Creance at a farther distance, feeding them as be∣fore.

When you have thus called your Goshawk abroad three or four days, and that you find her grow cun∣ning, then take her on your Fist, and mount on Horse∣back, and ride with her an hour or two, unhooding and hooding her sometimes, giving her a bit or two in sight of your Spaniels, that she may not be afraid of them: this being done, set her on a Tree with a short Greance tied to her Loins, and going half a score yards from her on Horseback, call her to your Fist accor∣ding to art; if she come, reward her with two or three bits, and cast her up again to the Tree: then throw out a dead Pullet (to which she was used be∣fore) about a dozen yards from her; if she fly to it and seize it, let her feed three or four bits upon it; ride

the mean while about her on Horseback, and rate back your Spaniels, because they shall not rebuke her at first, and make her ever after afraid of them: then alight, and gently take her on your Fist, feed her, hood her, and let her plume or tire.

Here note, that the Goshawk is a greater Poulterer, and therefore it would be more requisite to throw out a dead Partridge, or one made artificially with its Wing, Tail and Plumage; which will cause her to know Partridge better, and Poultry less.

How to make a Goshawk fly to the Partridge.

Having manned your Goshawk, go into the field with her, carrying with you a Train-Partridge, and unhood∣ing your Hawk, bear her as gently as you can; and you will do well to let her plume or tire, for that will make her the more eager.

If the Partridge spring, let her fly: if she mark one, two, three, or more on the ground, then go to her and make her take Pearch on some Tree thereby: then if you can retrive the Partridge with your Spaniels, as soon as they spring it you must cry, Howit, howit, and retrive it the second time, crying when it springeth as aforesaid: if your Hawk kill it, feed her upon it.

If it so happen your Spaniels should take it (as it is very frequent for hot Spaniels to light upon the Par∣tridge, being either flown out of breath, or overchar∣ged with fear) then alight from your Horse, and taking it speedily from the Dogs, cast it out to your Hawk cry∣ing, Ware Hawk, ware, and let her feed thereon at her pleasure.

After this you must not fly her in two days: for ha∣ving fed on bloudy meat, she will not so soon be in good case to fly again; for such meat is not so easily endewed by a Hawk as the Leg of a Chicken or the like,

Using her thus three or four times, she will be well in bloud, and become an excellent Flier at this pleasant Field flight.

Here note, that you must do at first with her as with other Hawks, that is, feel and watch her, and win her to feed, to the Hood, to the Fist, &c. and then enter her to young Partridges till November, at which time both Trees and Fields become bare and empty: then you may enter her to the old Rewen, setting her short and eager; if she kill, feed her up with the Partridge three or four times, and this will bring her to perfe∣ction.

If your Hawk be a good Partridger, let her not fly at the Powt or Pheasant, for they fly not so long a Flight as the Partridge; and therefore the Goshawk, being more greedy of Prey than any other Hawk, (yet desirous of ease, would always covet short Flights, not caring to hold out: not but that there are some good both for long and short flights, but they are rarely sound.

Besides, you must have a great care in keeping them in good order, with Flying, Bathing, Weathering, Tiring, and Pluming.

How to help a Goshawk that turneth Tail to Tail, and giveth over her Game.

It is usual for a Goshawk to fly at a Partridge, yet neither kill it, nor fly it to mark, but to turn Tail to Tail; that is having flown it a Bow-shot or more, she giveth over her Game, and takes a Tree: then must you call in your Spaniels to the Retrieve that way your Hawk flew the Partridge; let the Faulconer draw himself that way also, and carrying with him a quick Partridge, let him cast it out to her, which will make

her believe it is the same she flew at. When you cast it out, cry, Ware Hawk, ware; make her seize it, and feed her upon it: and this will encourage her to fly out her flight another time. If the next time you fly her (which must be the third day) she serve you so again, then must you do as aforesaid with alive Par∣tridge carried about you for that purpose: if she serve you so the third time, I would advise you to rid your hands of her as soon as you can.

How to make a Goshawk fly quickly.

The Goshawk (especially Soars and Niasses) are very loving to and fond of man, and therefore should be flown with a little more Rammage, else frequently, af∣ter two or three stroaks with their Wings, they will give over the flight, and return to the Keeper: wherefore you must fly with them as soon as you can. And yet there is an evil which attends this direction, and that is, by flying over-soon you will pull down your Hawk and make her poor, from whence proceeds fearfulness and cowardise. To remedy which, you must give your Hawk some respite, and set her up again before you fly her. There are some Goshawks (but very few) which will not fly when they are in good plight: then must you bate their flesh, and pinch them with scouring, washt meat, and the like. But the best way of flying such an one is when she is lusty and high: and to adde to her vivacity and courage, let her be set abroad in the morning an hour or two, when the weather is not ve∣ry cold; for being so weather'd, when she hath flown a Partridge to the Mark, she will not away until it be re∣trieved by the Spaniels.

How to fly a Goshawk to the River.

A Goshawk (but no Tiercel) may fly the River at Mallard, Duck, Goose, or Hern, with other large Water-fowl: She is made for that purpose after this manner.

First, make her to the Fist, as is prescribed in her making to the Field: then carry her into the field without Bells, and with a live Duck, which you must give to one of the company, who must hide himself in some Ditch or Pit with the Duck tied to a Creance: then must you draw near him with your Hawk unhood∣ed on your Fist, and giving him some private notice to throw out the Duck, cast off your Hawk; and if she take it at the Source, let him reward and feed her with a reasonable Gorge: then take her upon your Fist and hood her, permitting her to tire and plume upon the Leg or Wing of the Duck. The third day go again with her into the Field in like manner, or else find out some Plash or Pool where Wild-fowl lie, taking the ad∣vantage of the rising Bank: being near the Fowl, let some of the company raise them up, and your Hawk being unhooded, cast her off; if she kill any of them at Source, make in to her quickly, and cross the Fowl's Wings, so that she may foot and plume it at her plea∣sure, rewarding her as before. After this, take her on your Fist, and let her tire and plume the Leg or Wing of the Fowl aforesaid.

When your Goshawk is throughly nouzled, and well in bloud, you may fly her twice a day or oftner, rewar∣ding her as before.

An excellent way to preserve a Goshawk in the time of her flying, especially in hot weather.

Take a pint of Red-rose-Water, put it into a Bot∣tle, bruise one stick or two of green Liquorish and put in it likewise a little Mace, and the quantity of a Wall∣nut of Sugar-candy, and draw her meat through it twice or thrice a week, as you shall find occasion: It prevents the Phantass, and several Diseases they are subject to: besides, it gives a huge Breath, and gently scoureth her.

How to fly the Wild-goose or Crane with the Goshawk.

Having mann'd your Goshawk, brought her to the Fist, and train'd her with a Goose in the Field, then seek out where Wild-geese, Cranes, or other large Wild∣fowl lie: having found them afar off, alight and carry your Hawk unhooded behind your Horse, stalking to∣wards them until you have got pretty nigh them, hold∣ing down your Hawk covert under the Horse's Neck or Body, yet so that she may see the Fowl: then you must raise them, and casting off your Hawk, if she kill, reward her. And thus she may kill four or five in a day.

In like manner, you may make her to the Crane, and may stalk to Fowl which lie in Ponds or Pits as aforesaid.

Here note, that if you can fly at great, slight the lesser Flights, which will make your Hawk the bol∣der.

How to mew a Goshawk, and draw her out of the Mew, and make her Flying.

Having flown with a Goshawk, Tiercel, Soar, or Haggard till March, give her some good Quarry in her Foot, and having seen her clean from Lice, cut off the Buttons of her Jesses, and throw her into the Mew; which Room should be on the ground, and scituated towards the North, if possible.

Let the Pearches therein be lined with Canvas or Cotton; for otherwise by hurting her Foot she may get the Gout or Pynn.

Let the Mew have also a Window towards the East, and another Northward. There must be also a Bason of Water in the Mew for bathing, which must be shifted every three days. Feed your Hawk with Pigeons, or else with the hot Flesh of Weather-Mut∣ton.

About the beginning of October, if you find your Goshawk fair mew'd and hard penn'd, then give her Chickens, Lambs-hearts, or Calves-hearts, for about twenty days together, to scour her, and make her slise out the slimy substance and glitt out of her Pannel, and enseam her.

Having done thus, some Evening draw her out of the Mew, and new furnish her with Jesses, Bells, Bew∣ets, and all other things needful for her: then keep her seel'd two or three days, till she will endure the Hood patiently; for mewed Hawks are as impatient of the Hood as those newly taken.

When you have won her to endure the Hood, then in an Evening by Candle-light you may unseel her, and the next day shew her the Fist and Glove, making her to tire and plume morning and evening, giving her sometimes in the morning (when her Gorge is

empty) a little Sugar-candy, which will help her in an excellent manner to endew.

When you find your Goshawk feed eagerly, and that you think in your judgement she is enseamed, and that you may boldly fly with her, then go with her into the Field; she will then bate, (if empty) and fly of her own accord: if she kill, feed and reward her; but if she fly to the mark with a Partridge, then must you re∣trive it, and serve her as afore declared.

Some general Observations for an Ostrager or Falconer in Keeping and Reclaim∣ing a GOSHAWK.

It frequently happens that a Goshawk or Tiercel, where good in their Soarage, become worse after they are mewed: and the reason may be, because she was not cherished nor encouraged, to make her take delight in her Soarage.

For in a manner the major part of a Faulconer's skill consists in coying and kind usage of his Hawk, so cherishing her that she may take delight in her Flight.

At the first entring of his Hawk he ought always to have a Train-Partridge in his Bag, to serve her with when need requires, to purchase her love: and let him take such observations which may keep his Hawk al∣ways in good order. As first, he must know naturally all Goshawks are full of moist humours, especially in the Head, and therefore let him ply them with Tiring and Pluming morning and evening; for that will open them in the Head, and make them cast water thereat. Let the Goshawk's tiring be a Rum of Beef, a Pinion or the Leg of a Chicken, given by the fire, or in the warm Sun: this not onely opens her Head, but keeps her from slothfulness in good exercise.

Give her every night Casting of Feathers or Cotton, and in the morning mark whether it be wrought round or not, whether sweet or not, whether moist or dry, and of what colour the water is that drops out of the Casting: by these means he shall know what condition his Hawk is in.

He also ought to regard her Mewts, to see whether they be clean or not, and give remedies accordingly. He ought also to consider the season; for in cold wea∣ther he must set his Hawk in some warm place where fire is made; he must line the Pearch with Canvas or Cotton, and must set it so far from the Wall that the Hawk hurt not her Feathers when she bateth. If the weather be temperate, he may then set her in the Sun∣shine for an hour or two in the morning.

Let no Hens or Poultry come near the place where your Hawk doth Pearch; and in the Spring offer her water every week, or else she will soar away from you when she flieth, and you may go look her.

If your Hawk bathe her self spontaneously in cold weather after her flight, go presently to the next house and weather her with her Back to the fire, and not her Gorge, for that will make her sick: and dry your Hawk if you have carried her in the Rain.

A good Faulconer will always keep his Hawk high and lusty, yet so that she may be always in a condition to fly best.

Also he must keep his Hawk clean, and her Feathers whole: and if a Feather be broken or bruised, he must presently imp it; and to that end he must have his Imping-needles, his Semond, with other Instruments always in readiness.

The first year it is most requisite to fly your Goshawk to the Field, and not to the Covert; for so they will learn to hold out, and not turn tail in the midst of their slight: and when they are mewed Hawks, you

may make them do what you will: and it is better to let her be a little rammage than to be overman∣ned.

Her feeding is best on hot meats: and if you would instruct her to kill great Fowl, make her Trains there∣of; and if you would have her continue those Flights, never fly her at less, for that will take her off from them and spoil her. If you will make her to fly with a Dog to assist her, then feed your Hawk with great Fowl, and your Dogs with flesh tied under their Wings. If you train your Hawk with them, rewarding her upon the Train, and your Dog with her, this will make them acquainted together.

Thus continue doing till your Dog throughly knows his duty: and be sure to keep your Dog tied up; for if you let him go loose, it will spoil the best Dog that is: and never give him a reward, but when he maketh in at such Fowls to rescue the Hawk.

Call your Goshawk to no other thing than your Fist, and oftentimes spurt good wine on your Goshawks Sears: And note, that in all her Distempers sweet things are best to be administred in her Medicines.

Of the SPARROW-HAWK.

THe last Hawk which we shall treat of, is the Spar∣row-hawk; of which there are several kinds, and of different Plumes.

For the kinds, there is the Sclavonian, Calabrian, Corsican, German, Vicentian, and Veronian, Alpisan, Sab∣bean, and Bergamascan, in the black Vale near the Con∣fines of Valtolina. It is needless to give you a particu∣lar account of them.

Their Plumes are different: some are small plumed and blank Hawks, others of a larger Feather, some plumed like the Quail, some brown or Canvas-mail'd, and others have just thirteen Feathers in their Train, &c.

To be short, this Character I mav justly give the Sparrow-hawk in general, that she is in her kind, and for that Game her strength will give her leave to kill, a very good Hawk. Besides, he that knows how to man, reclaim, and fly with a Sparrow-hawk, may easily know how to keep and deal with all other Hawks.

And herein lieth an excellency in the Sparrow-hawk, she serves both for Winter and Summer with great pleasure, and will fly at all kind of Game more than the Faulcon. If the Winter-Sparrow-hawk prove good, she will kill the Pie, the Chough, the Jay, Wood-cock, Thrush, Black-bird, Felfare, with divers other Birds of the like nature.

How to make a Sparrow-hawk, whether Eyess, Brancher, Soar, Mew'd, or Haggard.

Sparrow-hawks are to be considered as all other kinds of Hawks are, according to their age and dispo∣sition.

The several kinds of Sparrow-hawks may be compre∣hended under these five heads; the Eyesses or Nyesses, Branchers, Soars, Mew'd, and Haggards.

Eyesses, are mewed in the Wood, and are taken in the Eyrie.

Branchers, are those which have forsaken the Eyrie, and are fed near it by the old ones on Boughs and Branches.

Soar-hawks, are so called, because, having forsaken

the Eyrie, and beginning to prey for themselves, they soar up alost for pleasure.

Mew'd Hawks, are such which have once or more shifted the Feather.

Lastly, Haggards, are they which prey for themselves, and do also mew in the Wood or at large.

This division of kindes is not peculiar to the Spar∣row-Hawk, but common to all: give me leave to run them over in order as I have set them down.

For the Eyress or Nyess, (which is of greatest difficulty to bring to any perfection) you must first feed her in some cool Room which hath two Windows, the one to the North, and the other to the East, which must be open, and barred over with Laths, not so wide for a Hawk to get out, or Vermin to come in: strow the Chamber with fresh Leaves, and do in every respect to this Room as I have ordered in a former Chapter for the Mewing the Faulcon.

You must feed your Eyess with Sparrows, young Pi∣geons, and Sheeps-hearts. Whilst she is very young and little you should cut her meat, or shred it into small pellets, and feed her twice or thrice a day, according as you find her endew it or put it over.

When she is full summed and flieth about, then give her whole small Birds, and sometimes feed her on your Fist, suffering her to strain and kill the Birds in your hand; and sometimes put live Birds into the Chamber where she is, that she may learn to know to foot and to kill them; and let her feed upon them in your presence: by this course you will not onely neul her, but take her off from that scurvy quality of hiding her Prey when she hath seized it, a natural property belonging to all Eyesses. Likewise every morning go into the Room, call her to your Fist, whistle and use such terms as you would have her hereafter acquainted with. When she hath put forth all her Feathers and is full

summed, then take her out of the Chamber, and fur∣nish her with Bells, Bewets, Jesses, and Lines.

It will be altogether requisite to seel her at first, that she may the better endure the Hood and handling: and let it be a Rufter-hood that is large and easie, which you must pull off and put on fre∣quently, stroaking her often on the head, till she will stand gently.

In the Evening by Gandle-light unseel her, giving her somewhat to tire upon, handling and stroaking her Feathers gently, hooding and unhooding her as often as you think fit.

Before I proceed any farther, I shall inform you how to Seela Hawk after the best manner. Take a Needle threaded with untwisted Thread, and casting your Hawk take her by the Beak, and put the Needle through her Eye-lid, not right against the sight of the Eye, but somewhat nearer the Beak, that she may have liberty to see backward; and have especial care that you hurt not the Web: then put your Needle through the other Eye-lid, drawing the ends of the Thread together, tie them over the Beak, not with a straight knot, but cut off the Threads near to the end of the knot, and so twist them together, that the Eye-lids may be raised so upwards that the Hawk may not see at all, but as the Thread shall slacken, she shall be able to see backwards only, which is the cause that the Thread is put nearer the Beak.

When your Eyess is well won to the Hood, and to the Fist, let her kill small birds thereon; then call her two or three days or longer, till she will come far off; then take a live Pidgeon tied by the Foot with a Creance, and stir it till your Hawk will bate at it and seize it, but not far off that you may quickly help her at the first, lest the Pidgeon struggling with her she prove too strong, and so discourage your young Hawk:

then let her plume and foot her, and feed her there∣upon, whistling the while, that she may know it ano∣ther time: then hood her, and let her plume and tire a little.

You may use her to Trains of Chicken and Quail: and when she will seize readily by often Training, ride out with her in the morning into the Fields, where calling your Sparrow-hawk to your Fist, and giving her a bit or two, go with your Spaniels to seek some Beavy of young Quails, advancing your Fist aloft, that your Hawk may see them when they spring, flying her at ad∣vantage: if she kill reward her, &c. if she miss, serve her with the Train of a Quail.

Let your Dogs hunt on your right hand when they range, but especially when they quest and call, to the end you may the better cast off your Hawk. When your Hawk is throughly entred and well nouzled, you may then hold your hand low, for she will now bate at the Whur: but whatsoever you do, have a quick eye and a good regard to the Spaniels, not coveting to be too near them, but a little above them, that you may let your Hawk fly coasting at the advantage when the Game springeth.

Of the Brancher, Sodr, Mew'd, and Haggard Sparrow-hawk.

Having spoken of the first kind of Sparrow-haws, viz. the Eyess, the other four in the Title of this Chapter must consequently be discoursed of.

I shall give you but few instructions, for in effect the same Precepts that serve for the Eyess will serve also for the Brancher, Soar, Mew'd, and Haggard Hawks; onely this, these four last require not so much pains to be taken to make them know their Game as the Eyess,

because they have been accustomed to prey for them∣selves.

Above all things, the Faulconer must take them off from their ill custom of carrying, and that may be done by serving them with great Trains, whereby they will learn to abide on the Quarry.

Be very mindful of coying them as much as you can, for they will remember a kindness or injury better than any other Hawk.

If the Hawk be newly taken, and will not feed, then rub her Feet with warm flesh, whistling to her, and sometimes putting the flesh unto her Beak: if she will not yet feed, rub her Feet with a live Bird; if at the crying of the Bird the Hawk seizeth it with her Feet, it is a signe she will feed; then tear off the Skin and Feathers of the Bird's Breast, and put the Bird to her Beak, and she will eat.

When she will feed upon your whistle and chirp, then hood her with a Rufter-hood, and feed her be∣times in the morning; and when she hath endewed, give her a Beaching in the day-time, and every time you hood her, give her a bit or two; at evening give her the Brains of a Hen for her supper: and in every thing else order these Hawks aforesaid, as you do the Faulcon and the rest.

How to mew Sparrow-hawks.

Some use to put their Sparrow-hawk into the Mew as soon as they leave flying her, cutting off both her Bewets, Lines, and knots of her Jesses, and so leave them in the Mew till they are clean mewed.

If you will have your Sparrow-hawk to fly at Quail, Partridge, or Pheasant-powt, then you must draw her in the beginning of April, and bear her on the Fist till she be clean and throughly enseamed.

Others keep their Sparrow-hawks on the Pearch un∣til March, and then throw them into the Mew, peper∣ing them for Lice, if they have any. Her Mew should be a Chamber alost from the ground, eight or nine foot long, and about six foot broad: her Windows and Pearches must be like the Goshawks.

Her Mew being thus provided, in May go in to her in an Evening by Candle-light, and taking her up soft∣ly, pull out all her Train-feathers one after another: this shall make her mew the faster, especially if you feed her with hot meat and Birds, observing a certain hour to feed her in.

Once in fourteen days set water before her in the Mew: if you perceive she hath any Feathers or Down which stand staring upon her Back, sitting as if she would rouze, then set her water sooner. If you put water by her continually, it delays her Mewing; and to keep it always from her, causeth her to mew her Fea∣thers uncleanly: but water once in a fortnight is the best Medium for her Mewing between those two ex∣treams.

Thus having given you a summary account of most Hawks commonly in use in England, and in most parts of Europe, shewing their Shapes, Complexions, Na∣tures, manner of Manning, Reclaiming, Ordering, Luring, Flying, Mewing, &c. I shall next give you an account of the several Diseases and Maladies they are subject to, with their proper Cures and Remedies: but before I shall enter thereon, give me leave to in∣form the Ostrager or Faulconer of his necessary du∣ties.

The Duty of a Faulconer; with necessary Rules and Observations for him to follow.

A Faulconer ought to consult and consider the quality and mettle of his Hawks, and to know which of them he shall fly with early, and with which late.

He must be fond of his Hawk, patient, and cleanly in keeping her from Lice, Mites, and the like Vermin. He must rather keep his Hawks high and full of flesh, than poor and low, which makes them more sub∣ject to infirmities than when they are in very good plight.

Every night after flying, he must give his Hawk Ca∣sting, sometimes Plumage, sometimes Pellets of Cot∣ton, and sometimes Physick, as he shall find her disea∣sed by her Casting or Mewt.

Every night he must make the place very clean un∣der her Pearch, that he may know by her Casting whe∣ther the Hawk stands in need of Scourings upwards or downwards.

Let him remember every Evening to weather his Hawk, excepting such days wherein she hath bathed; after which, in the Evening she should be put into a warm Room on a Pearch with a Candle burning by her, where she must sit unhooded, if she be not ram∣mage, to the intent she prune and pick her self, and rejoyce by enoiling her self after bathing: and in the morning he ought to weather her, and let her cast, if the hath not done it already, keeping her still hooded till he carry her to the field.

In feeding his Hawk he must have a care of feeding her with two sorts of meat at one time; and what he giveth her must be very sweet.

If he have an occasion to go abroad, let him have a care that he pearch not his Hawk too high from the ground, for fear of bating and hanging by the Heels, whereby she may spoil herself.

He ought to carry to the Field with him Mummy in powder, with other Medicines; for frequently the Hawk meets with many accidents, as bruises at encoun∣ters, &c. neither must he forget to carry with him any of his necessary Hawking-implements.

Lastly, he must be able to make his Lures, Hoods of all sorts, Jesses, Bewets, and other needful Furni∣ture for his Hawk: neither must he be without his Coping-Irons to cope his Hawk's Beak, if it be over∣grown, and to cope her Pounces and Talons, as need shall require: neither must he be without his Cauteri∣zing-Irons.

Let these Instructions suffice, I being willing to leave the rest to the care and observation of the ingenious Faulconer.

Of Diseases and dangerous Accidents in∣cident to HAWKS, and their several Cures.

IT is necessary for a skilful Faulconer not onely to know how to Man, Reclaim, Keep, Fly, Imp, and Mew his Hawks, with other things pertinent to that purpose; but also to know their Diseases, with the proper Cures of them, and other Accidents frequently

befalling Hawks, both in their Fights and other∣ways.

Before we shall characterize their Maladies and pre∣scribe Rules for their Cures, it will not be irrequisite to tell you that Hawks, as well as men, (which seems some∣what strange) have four Complexions, the true indi∣cators of their natures: and as in man his natural Complection and Constitution is known by his Skin, so is the Temperament and natural Disposition of a Hawk by her Coat and Plume. This opinion hath not been onely averr'd by the Ancients, but confirmed by the modern experience of the Skilful in the noble Art of Hawking. Take it in this manner.

Faulcons that are black are Melancholick, and are to be physicked with hot and moist Medicines, because their Complexion is cold and dry; for which purpose Aloes, Pepper, Cocks-flesh, Pigeons, Sparrows, Goats∣flesh, and the like, are very good.

Faulcons blank are Phlegmatick, and must have Phy∣sick hot and dry, because Phlegm is cold and moist; to which purpose Cinamon, Cloves, Cardamomum, Goats-flesh, Choughs, &c. are very good.

Faulcons Russet are Sanguine and Chelerick indiffe∣rently mix'd, and their Physick must be cold, mode∣rately moist and dry, as Myrtles, Cassia-fistula, Tama∣rinds, Vinegar, I ambs-flesh, and Pullets.

Thus much for the Complexions: Now for the Diseases and their Cures.

Of Castings, and Mewtings, either good or bad according to their several Complexions and Smells.

Castings are of two sorts, Plumage, or Cotton: the latter is most commonly given in Pellets, which must be about the bigness of an Hazie-nut, made of fine soft

white Cotton: after she hath supp'd you must convey this into her Gorge.

In the morning diligently observe how she hath rolled and cast it, whereby you shall know whether she be in a bad or good condition: for example, if she cast it round, white, not stinking, nor very moist or waterish, you may conclude her sound; but if she roll it not well, but cast it long, with properties contrary to the former, then she is unfound and full of Disea∣ses.

Besides, if her Casting be either black green, yellow∣ish, slimy, or stinking, it denotes your Hawk to be diseased. The former Casting is remedied by hot meats; the latter by feeding her well, and washing her meats in cool water, as of Endive, &c. and give her one or two Castings of Cotton, incorporating there∣with Incense and Mummy. But if she continue not∣withstanding in this condition, give her an upward Scowring made thus: Take Aloes pulverized one scruple, powder of Clove four grains, powder of Cu∣bebs three grains; incorporate these, and wrap them in Cotton, and give it your Hawk empty, having no meat in her Pannel.

Casting of Plumage is to be observed as the former Casting: that is, if in the morning you find them round and not stinking, it is a good signe; but if long, slimy, with indigested flesh sticking to the same, and having an ill scent, it is very bad. Here note, that by how much the more sweet or stinking the Casting is, by so much is the Hawk in a better or worse con∣dition.

Mewts must be observed as well as Castings, in this manner: If the Mewt be white, not very thick nor clear, having no black spot in it, or but very little, it is a signe of the healthy constitution of the Hawk; but if it be white and very thick in the middle, though it

doth not import sickness, yet it sheweth her to be too gross and over-full of Grease; which you must remedy by giving her moist meats, as the Heart of a Calf or Lamb, &c. and for two mornings after give her some Sugar-candy, or else the Gut of a Chicken well washt and fill'd with Oyl-Olive: either of these will scour her, and make her to slise freely.

It is a very bad and mortal signe, to see your Hawk's Mewt full of variety of colours: therefore you must speedily prevent ensuing mischiefs by giving her Mum∣my purified and beaten to powder, wrapping it in Cot∣ton.

If the Mewt be more yellow then white, then doth she abound with Choler proceeding from great Flights in hot weather, also from much Bating. This is reme∣died by washing her meat in Bugloss, Endive, Borage, and such-like cold Waters, wringing the said meat af∣ter you have so washed it.

The black Mewt is a most deadly signe, and if it con∣tinue four days she will peck over the Pearch and die. If she mewt so but once, there is no great danger, for it proceeds either from the Blood or Guts of the Fowl in tiring, or else-from being gorged with filthy meats: in this case give her good warm meat and Cotton-casting, with the powder of Gloves, Nutmeg, and Ginger, or Mummy alone.

If the Mewt be green, it is a bad signe, and denotes her troubled with an infected and corrupt Liver, or with some Apostume, unless she be a Rammage-Hawk, and then that signe holds not good. Her cure is, by feeding her with meat powdered with Mummy; if she will not take it with her Food, then give it her in a Scowring or Casting: but if this ill-colour'd Mew∣ting continue still, then give her a Scowring of Agarick, and after that another of Incense pulverized to comfort her.

The dark sanguine Mewt with a black in it is the most deadly signe of all, and differs but little, if any thing, from the former black Mewt. A Hawk mew∣ting after this manner is irrecoverable, and therefore it is needless to prescribe a Cure.

Lastly, the gray Mewt like sour Milk, is a mortal token, yet curable, as shall be shewn hereafter.

Thus you see how requisite it is for a Faulconer to observe diligently every morning his Hawk's Castings and Mewtings, that knowing thereby their Maladies, he may timely finde out their Remedies. Let us now proceed to their particular Diseases.

Of the Cataract.

The Cataract in the Eyes of a Hawk, is a malady not easily removed, and sometimes incurable, when it is too thick and of a long continuance.

It proceedeth from gross Humours in the Head, which frequently do not onely dim, but extinguish the sight: and sometimes the Hood is the cause of this mis∣chief.

The cure must be effected by Scowring her two or three days with Aloes or Agarick: then take the pow∣der of washt Aloes finely beaten one scruple, and two scruples of Sugar-candy; mingle these together, and with a Quill blow it into your Hawk's Eye afflicted as aforesaid three or four times a day. This is the gentlest and most Soveraign Medicine of any yet I have tried. But if this will not do, you must use stronger Medicines, as the juice of Celandine-roots, bathing their eyes often with warm Rose-water wherein hath been boil'd the seeds of Fenugreek.

Of the Pantas or Asthma.

The Pantas is a dangerous Distemper, and few Hawks escape which are afflicted therewith. It happens when the Lungs are as it were so baked by excessive heat, that the Hawk cannot draw her breath, and when drawn, cannot well emit it again. You may judge of the beginning of this Distemper by the Hawk's la∣bouring much in the Pannel, moving her Train of∣ten up and down at each motion of her Pannel; and she cannot many times mewt or slise; or if she do, she drops it fast by her. It is known likewise by your Hawk's frequent opening her Clap and Beak.

The best Remedy is, to scour your Hawk with good Oyl-Olive well washed in several Waters till it become clear and white, which you must do after this manner: Take an earthen Pot with a small hole in the bottom thereof, which you must stop with your Finger; then pour therein your Oyl with a quantity of Water, and coil these together with a Spoon till the Water grow darkish; after which remove your Finger, and the Water will run out, but the Oyl remain behind floating on the top; thus do seven or eight times, till you have throughly purified the Oyl: Then take a Sheep's Gut above an Inch long for a Faulcon and Goshawk, but of less length for lesser Hawks, and fill it with this Oyl, and fasten it with Thread at both ends. Your Hawk having first cast, convey this Gut into her Throat, holding her on the Fist till she make a Mewt; an hour after she hath done mewting feed her with a Calf's Heart or a Pullet's Leg, giving her every third or fourth day a Cotton casting with Cubebs and Cloves. I shall onely adde one Receipt more for the Pantas or Asthma, and that is the Oyl of sweet Al∣monds poured into a washt Chicken's Gut, and given

the Hawk; which is of great efficacy in the cure of this Disease.

Of Worms.

There are a sort of Worms an Inch long, which frequently afflict Hawks, proceeding from gross and viscous Humours in the Bowels, occasioned through want of natural heat and ill digestion.

You may know when she is troubled with them by her casting her Gorge, her stinking Breath, her trem∣bling and writhing her Train, her croaking in the night, her offering with her Beak at her Breast or Pan∣nel, and by her Mewt being small and unclean.

You may cure her of them with a Scowring of washt Aloes, Hepatick, Mustard-seed, and Agarick, of each an equal quantity; or the powder of Harts-horn dried; or lastly, a Scowring of white Dittander, Aloes, Hepa∣tick washt four or five times, Cubebs, and a little Saf∣fron wrapt in some flesh, to cause her to take it the bet∣ter.

Of the Filanders.

There are several sorts of Filanders, but I shall speak but of one sticking to the Reins. They are Worms as small as a Thread, and about an Inch long, and lie wrapt up in a thin Skin or Net near the Reins of a Hawk, apart from either Gut or Gorge.

You shall know when your Hawk is troubled with them, by her poverty, by ruffling her Train, by strain∣ing the Fist or Pearch with her Pounces, and lastly, by croaking in the night when the Filanders prick her. You must remedy this Malady betimes, before these Worms have enlarged themselves from their proper station, roving elsewhere to your Hawk's ruine and de∣struction.

You must not kill them as other Worms, for fear of Impostumes from their corruption, being incapable to pass away with the Hawk's Mewt; but onely stupifie them, that they may be offensive but seldom; and that is done thus: Take a head of Garlick, taking away the outmost rinde; then with a Bodkin heated in the fire, make holes in some Cloves, then steep them in Oyl three days, and after this give her one of the Cloves down her Throat, and for forty days after she will not be troubled with the Filanders. Wherefore a Faulco∣ner will shew himself prudent, if, seeing his Hawk low and poor, he give her once a month a Clove of this Garlick for prevention of the Filanders.

Another approved Medicine for Filanders or Worms in Hawks.

Take half a dozen Cloves of Garlick, boil them in Milk until they are very tender, then take them out and dry the Milk out of them; then put them into a spoon∣ful of the best Oyl of Olives you can get, and when she hath cast, in the morning give these to your Hawk, feed her not in two hours after, and be sure it be warm meat, and not much, and keep her warm that day for fear of taking cold; give her the Oyl with the Gar∣lick: they must steep all night.

Of Hawks Lice.

These Lice do most infest the Head, the Ply of a Hawk's Wings, and her Train. In the winter you may kill them thus: Take two drams of Pepper bea∣ten to powder, and mingle it with warm Water, and with this Lotion wash the places infested with these Lice or Mites: then set your Hawk on a Pearch with

her Back and Train against the Sun; then hold in your hand a small Stick about a handful long, with a piece of soft Wax at the end of it, and with that (whilst the Hawk is weathering her self) take away those Vermin crawling upon the Feathers. You may do well to adde to the Pepper and Water some Staves∣acre.

In the Summer-time you may kill the Lice with Auripigmentum beaten to powder, and strowed on the places where they lie.

A safe and easie way to kill Lice in Hawks.

Mail your Hawk in a piece of Cotton, if not in some Woollen-Cloath, and put between the Head and her Hood a little Wooll or Cotton: then take a Pipe of Tobacco, and, putting the little end in at the Tream, blow the Smoak, and what Lice escape kil∣ling, will creep into the Cloath. This is a certain way.

How to keep and maintain all manner of Hawks in health, good plight, and liking.

In the first place, never give them a great Gorge, especially of gross meats, as Beef, Pork, and such as are hard to be endewed and put over.

Secondly, never feed them with the flesh of any Beast that hath lately gone to Rut; for that will insensibly destroy them.

Thirdly, if you are constrained to give your Hawk gross food, let it be well soaked first in clean Water, and afterwards sufficiently wrung; in Summer with cold Water, in Winter with luke-warm Water.

Ever observe to reward your Hawks with some good live meat, or else they will be brought too low: how∣ever, the serving them with washt meats is the way to keep them in health.

I shall conclude how to keep Hawks in perfect health with this most excellent Receipt. Take Germander, Pelamountain, Basil, Grummel-seed, and Broom-flowers, of each half an ounce; Hyssop, Sassifras, Polypodium, and Horse-mints, of each a quarter of an ounce, and the like of Nutmegs; Cubebs, Borage, Mummy, Mug∣wort, Sage, and the four kinds of Mirobolans, of each half an ounce; of Aloes Succotrine the fifth part of an ounce, and of Saffron one whole ounce. All these you must pulverize, and every eighth or twelfth day give your Hawks the quantity of a Bean thereof with their meat. If they will not take it so, put it into a Hens Gut tied at both ends, and let him stand empty an hour after.

Of the Formica.

This is a Distemper which commonly seizeth on the Horn of Hawks Beaks, which will eat the Beak away: and this is occasioned by a Worm, as most men are of opinion.

You may perceive it by this; the Beak will grow rug∣ged, and it will begin to separate from the Head.

To remedy this Malady, you must take the Gall of a Bull, and break it into a Dish, and adde thereto the powder of Aloes-Succatrine: mingle these well toge∣ther, and anoint the Clap or Beak of your Hawk there∣with, and the very place where the Formica grows, twice a day; but touch not her Eyes or Nares: continue thus doing till your Hawk be perfectly cured, and bathe her with Orpiment and Pepper to keep her from other Vermin.

Of the Frownce.

The Frownce proceedeth from moist and cold Hu∣mours which descend from the Hawk's Head to the Pa∣late and root of the Tongue, by means whereof they lose their appetite, and cannot close their Clap. This by some is called the Eagles-bane; for she seldom dieth of age, but of the over-growing of her Beak.

You may know if your Hawk be troubled with this Distemper, by opening her Beak, and seeing whether her Tongue be swoln or no: if it be, she hath it.

There are several ways to cure this Distemper, but the best that ever yet I could find for it, is, onely to take the powder of Alume reduced to a Salve with strong wine-vinegar, and wash the Hawk's Mouth therewith.

To cure the dry Frownce.

Take a Quill and cut it in the shape of a Pen, and at the other end tie a fine little Rag; with one end scrape off the white Skin which you will see in the Mouth or Throat of your Hawk until it bleedeth: then with the other end wash it with the juice of Lemon or White-wine-Vinegar very clean; then take a little burnt Alume, and some of a Shoe-soal burnt upon Wood-coals and beaten to powder; mix them, and lay them on the place or places; but let your Hawk have no meat above, nor be ready to be fed: by this I have cured many.

Of the Pip.

The Pip frequently troubleth Hawks, as it doth Chickens, and proceedeth from cold and moistness of

the Head, or from feeding on gross meat not well washt in warm Water in the Winter, and cold Water in the Summer.

The Symptoms of this Distemper are the Hawk's frequent Sniting, and making a noise twice or thrice in her Sniting.

For the Cure hereof, you must cast your Hawk gent∣ly, and look upon the tip of her Tongue, and if you find the Pip there, you must scour her with a Pill made of Agarick and Hiera picra given two or three days together with her Casting at night; this will cleanse her Head, and the sooner if she be made to tire against the Sun in the Morning: Then bind a little Cotton to the end of a Stick, and dipping it in good Rose-water wash her Tongue therewith: after this anoint it three or four days with Oyl of sweet Almonds and Oyl-olive well washed as aforesaid. Having so done, you will find the Pip all white and soft: then take an Awl, and with the point thereof lift up the Pip soft∣ly, and remove it, as Women pip ther Chickens, but re∣move it not till it be throughly ripe; and wet her Tongue and Palate twice or thrice a day with the a∣foresaid Oyl, till she be throughly cured.

How to remedy that Hawk which Endew∣eth not, nor Putteth over as she should do.

This happens either by being foul within, or by a Surfeit; or else when she was low and poor her Keeper over-gorged her, by being too hasty to set her up, and she being weak was not able to put over and endew, and surfeited thereupon.

The Cure whereof is this: You must feed her with light meats, and a little at once, as with young Rats and

and Mice, Chickens or Mutton dipt in Goats-milk or otherwise; or give her a quarter of a Gorge of the yolk of an Egg.

If you feed her with the flesh of any living Fowl, first steep it well in the blood of the same Fowl so shall your Hawk mount her flesh apace; if you also scour her with Pills made of Lard, Marrow of Beef, Sugar and Saffron mixed together, and given her three mor∣nings together, giving her also a reasonable Gorge two hours after.

How to make a Hawk feed eagerly that hath lost her Appetite, without bringing her low.

A Hawk may lose her Appetite by taking too great Gorges in the Evening, which she cannot well endew; or by being foul in the Pannel; or sometimes by Colds.

To remedy which, take Aloes Succotrina, boil'd Su∣gar, and Beef marrow, of each alike, onely less of the Aloes; incorporate these, and make them into Balls or Pills as big as Beans, and give of them to your Hawk, and hold her in the Sun till she hath cast up the filth and slime within her; then feed her not till noon, at which time give her good meat; and three days af∣ter for the same Disease it is good tiring on Stock∣doves, small Birds, Rats or Mice.

How to raise a Hawk that is low and poor.

The Poverty of a Hawk happens several ways: ei∣ther by the ignorance of the Faulconer of some latent lurking Distemper; or by her soaring away, and so being lost four or five days, in which time, finding little or no Prey, she becomes poor and lean.

To set her up you must feed her, a little at once, and often, with good meat and of light digestion, as small

Birds, Rats, Mice, &c. Or thus: take two spoonfuls of Honey, four of fresh Butter, and boil them together in a new earthen pot of Water; then take Pork well washed, and steep it in that Water, giving your Hawk a reasonable Gorge thereof twice a day, warming the said Water when you intend to feed your Hawk; and get some Snails that breed in running Waters, and give them her in the morning, and they will not onely scour away the gross slimy humours which are within, but al∣so nourish her exceedingly.

How to remedy a Hawk that is slothful, and is averse to flying.

A Hawk frequently hath no minde to fly, either by reason of her ill keeping, that is, when she is kept by those who know not how to give her her Rights, as bouzing, bathing, &c. or because the Hawk is too high and full of grease, or too poor and low: by the first she becomes proud and coy, and by the latter so weak that she wants strength and spirit to perform it.

For the curing of which Distemper, she ought to be thoroughly view'd by some skilful Faulconer, by whom such Remedies should be administred to her as are need∣ful for her: but above all, there is nothing like giving her in a morning three or four Pills of Celandine well washt.

Of Swoln Feet in a Hawk.

Hawks have Swelling in their Feet upon several ac∣counts: sometimes by chafing their Feet in flying their Prey, striking it, and taking cold thereupon; sometimes for want of rolling or lining the Pearch with some soft warm cloath; or else through gross humours and foulness within, which through exercise drop down in∣to their Feet, and so cause them to swell: lastly, this

swelling happens by pricks when they fly fiercely into Bushes after Game.

For a Remedy, you must scour your Hawk three mornings together with the pills of Lard, Marrow, Sugar and Saffron, and set her in the Sun: two days after this feed her with good meat: then take Bole-Armoniack, and half the quantity of Sanguis Draco∣nis; and having made them into powder, temper them well together with the White of an Egg and Rose-wa∣ter, and anoint her Feet twice a day three or four days together, setting her on some Cloth to keep her Feet warm.

How to scour Hawks before you cast them into the Mew.

When Mewing-time is come, you must scour and cleanse your Hawks; for in luring and flying-time by foul feeding they ingender Filanders and other Distem∣pers, whereof they die for want of timely care and cure.

When you set down your Hawk use the same as you find Page 246, which will not only kill the Worm, but scour a Hawk also.

The best way is, (when you mean to cast a Hawk into the Mew) first to scour her well according to for∣mer directions, to cope her, and set her up well in flesh, to discharge her as near as you can of all Diseases, also to free her from Mites and Lice, to set her Water, some∣times to feed her with young Rats, Mice, Dogs-flesh, Pigeons, Rabbets, and now and then with some liquid thing and meats laxative.

Take notice of this special Observation: A Hag∣gard is not to be cast in loose to the Mew, but is to be mewed on the Fist; for otherwise she will be∣come too coy and strange: and if she fall to bating

and beating her self for heat, then must you hood her up, or bespout her with cold water, which is the readi∣est way to make her leave Bating.

You must continue her on the Fist till she begin to shed her Feathers; then set her down, and tie her to a Stone or Pearch, as you do the rest; and after she hath mewed and comes to fly, then let her stand on a Block or Billet cased or rolled. In the same manner mew Goshawks, Tierces, and Sparrow-hawks; onely they will not be born on the Fist, but be at liberty in the Mew, and very cleanly served.

Fifteen or twenty days before you draw your Hawk out of the Mew, you must begin to abate her of her diet, the sooner and better to enseam her. And forget not to feed her with washed meat, which will prevent many dangers that may follow.

Many more Diseases there are incident, and Acci∣dents happening to Hawks, of which with their Cures there are large Discourses written in Italian, French, and English, and therefore I thought fit to insert in this place no other Maladies than what most usually occur: If you desire to be further satisfied, I shall re∣fer you to those larger and (it may be) less useful Volumes.